


there's a piece of me i've been searching for

by colourmeblue



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Undercover as a Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-09-16 00:16:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 30,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9265382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/colourmeblue/pseuds/colourmeblue
Summary: The first time she sees Maggie Sawyer, she’s not that impressed.(or, the fake relationship AU)





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on a Tumblr prompt that a lot of people sent in. Originally it was going to be canonverse but I had a great AU idea so, there’s that.

Alex Danvers would like to think that her life is relatively simple.

She’s a big sister to Kara, something which she takes very seriously. She’s a daughter to two brilliant minds who have moulded her into a career woman herself. She doesn’t really have much time to have a personal or social life, which is a sacrifice she has been willing to make for years. To her, that seems simple enough. This is the life she’s living.

It’s her job that gets the honour of being complicated in her otherwise simple existence.

As an FBI agent, she helps catch some of the worst criminals out there. There is nothing more satisfying to her than getting to cross a name off of the FBI’s Most Wanted list. Granted, it doesn’t happen very often, but she lives for the moments when she can bring bad people to justice. It’s just the way she is. She wants to do good in the world.

However, what she didn’t bet on was the extra things that came with it. The liaising, the interaction between the FBI and other agencies. It’s not that she’s _anti-social_ , per se, it’s more that she feels that other people are usually incompetent or incapable of doing their jobs at all. Alex wants nothing less than perfection from her career, but that usually isn’t the case.

It isn’t the case right now, in fact.

Alex has spent the past two weeks liaising with NYPD on a case she’s been working for several months. She’s been in and out of their offices every single day, and she wonders if she’s ever going to see her desk back at the agency ever again.

If she’s being honest, she thinks this kind of work is beneath her skill level, and she’s pretty sure that her boss knows that too. However, since she’s overqualified, that only means the job will be done with precision. The case will be solved and everyone, including her boss, is happy.

Except Alex.

Alex gets to feel like she’s drowning in incompetence every single day.

Not only that, but the police detectives she’s working with are not the most trustworthy bunch. She finds out information much later than they do, because they want to keep it as internal as possible. She knows it’s common knowledge that federal and city cops tend not to get along, but Alex doesn’t understand why all of these grown men have to be such babies about everything.

Her boss makes some excuse about how it ‘presents her with a challenge’, but Alex knows it’s because she’s one of the few he can trust with just about anything. She takes pride in that, and it’s the only thing stopping her from pulling her hair out every time she walks through the doors.

It’s not the only thing that keeps her entertained though. She spends a lot of time at the NYPD offices, so she’s had an ample opportunity to people watch. She sees many of the same faces of the detectives who come through every single day, and sometimes, it’s like watching a soap opera.

The first time she sees Detective Maggie Sawyer, she’s not all that impressed.

She notices the short, tanned brunette fairly early on. This woman seems to be one of the more popular detectives, as she appears talking to a new woman every few days. By talking, she means _talking_. Alex isn’t sure she’s ever seen her without a flirtatious smile on her face. She can tell from across the room that she’s charming, but she almost feels sorry for the revolving door of girls that seem to be going in and out of her life.

It’s almost intriguing to her, and for some reason, Alex finds herself watching her.

About a week in, Alex learns her name. Word around the department is that she’s very good at her job and takes it seriously, despite what it may look like from Alex’s point of view. She’s street smart and good with people, that can only be an asset to a detective in the field. Alex isn’t too sure why _she’s_ the one she notices out of everyone working there, but she will admit her antics are somewhat entertaining while she’s filling out paperwork.

When her superior drops by and she’s called into the office, she thinks nothing of it. Usually Hank comes by when he has more information on a case that requires her to continue her work with the NYPD. It’s not the most exciting news, but it’s work, so Alex will take it for what it is.

However, when she walks into the office, Hank isn’t the only one there. Two other men she recognises as higher officers in the NYPD are with him. She remains cautious as she steps through the door.

“Sir? What’s going on?”

“Nothing bad, I can assure you.” Hank says with a nod. “Shut the door behind you, Agent Danvers.”

Once Alex is seated in front of the desk, Hank leans forward and places a photograph down on the table. Alex squints at it for a moment before recognising it.

“Is that…?”

“Lillian Luthor, yes.” Hank nods again. “One of FBI’s most wanted criminals in the United States. She’s popped up on our radars again, and we need to move quickly if we have any hope of catching her.”

Alex widens her eyes. “Wait, _catch_ her? You’re serious? She’s evaded the FBI and the police for years. She’s slipped through our fingers every single time. What makes this time different?”

“We must treat this delicately, and with precision, Agent Danvers.” Hank says. “Special precautions must be taken. We can’t afford to alert her to our presence. If she suspects we’re on to her, she’ll go underground again and the entire mission will fail.”

“And you’re giving me this case? Not somebody of a higher rank?” Alex isn’t sure if she feels worried or honoured. Failure isn’t an option for her, but this case already has a high failure rate.

One of the other men in the room steps forward. “Yes, the FBI has selected you for a very specific reason. Your expertise in bioengineering makes you exactly what Lillian seems to be looking for.”

Alex narrows her eyes. “What is she looking for exactly?”

Hank speaks again. “We have reason to believe that she’s operating in a secret lab out of New York City. Conducting illegal experiments on humans trying to create… _something_. We need you to find out, and then hopefully, we’ll be able to shut it down.”

A look of realisation crosses Alex’s face. “You want me to go undercover.”

Hank gives Alex one of his rare smiles. “Exactly. From what we can gather, Lillian is looking for scientists she can trust to work on this project. Your expertise and training makes you the perfect candidate.”

The other man speaks up again. “You won’t be alone, though. That would be too dangerous. You’ll be working closely with us on this case.”

Normally, Alex would be resisting the urge to groan out loud at yet _another_ case working with the local cops, but this was Lillian Luthor. If they managed to catch her, the world would be a much safer place. She’s an incredibly intelligent scientist with exceptional skills who has evaded their detection for far too long. The worst part is, they never seem to know what she’s planning. She’s always one step ahead, and going undercover may be the only way she can be taken down for good.

Alex nods, trying to take it all in. “Okay, so… I’m going undercover as a scientist. Is there a plan beyond that? Who’s my partner going to be?”

The man leans over towards the window of the office, gesturing for someone outside to come in. Alex’s eyebrows raise when she realises it’s exactly the woman she had been thinking about only moments before entering the office.

“Agent Danvers, this is Detective Maggie Sawyer. She’s intelligent, has good instincts, and quick on her feet. She’s a hell of a good detective, and the one I trust most to not blow your cover.”

Alex looks towards Hank, who nods in agreement. “She’s the best fit for this job. I’ve been reading your case files, Detective Sawyer. I’m impressed.”

Alex’s eyebrows raise for a quick moment. It takes _a lot_ for Hank Henshaw to be impressed by anybody. Especially a city cop. This woman must be something, especially if she’s being handed the Lillian Luthor case with an FBI agent as a partner.

“Thanks, Director Henshaw.” Maggie turns towards Alex. “It’s nice to meet you, Agent Danvers. I’m looking forward to working with you on this.” She holds out her hand towards Alex, before dropping the formality. “We’ll catch her, I know we will.”

It’s the warmth that Maggie exudes in her smile that almost knocks Alex off her feet. It’s not something she’s expecting, and a part of her hopes it’s not the last time she sees it. She takes her hand in response. “Likewise, Detective Sawyer.”

“We should go over the details of the case after work. You wanna get a drink?”

Alex is almost thrown off by the casual offer, but she accepts. “Yeah. Yeah, sure.”

A smirk appears on her face. Another unexpected yet not unwelcome side to Maggie Sawyer. “I’ll, uh… drop by your desk later, then.”

With the smirk still lingering on her face, she turns and leaves the office, leaving Alex semi-stunned in her wake. She’s not really sure what she was expecting of Maggie, but it wasn’t _that_. A part of her was expecting a cocky hotshot, who thought she owned the case the second she was put on it. That’s what Alex gets for judging Maggie based on what she’s seen around the station.

Maybe she was actually going to be helpful. _Maybe_ they weren’t going to mess this up.

It’s a bonus that Maggie’s not some guy who smirks too much and wears too little deodorant. It’s not like she’s awful to look at, either. Still, Alex won’t make judgements until she’s seen her in the field. There’s only one sure way for her to know if Maggie is right for the job.

She has a couple of errands to run, so she doesn’t get to see Maggie for the rest of the afternoon. It’s probably for the best that she doesn’t get herself too worked up about the mission ahead. She knows this one will be tougher than anything she’s ever faced, and she’d rather not overthink it before it’s even begun.

By the time she does get to her temporary desk at the NYPD, Maggie is already there waiting for her. She’s leaning against the flat surface, fiddling with her phone until Alex comes into her view.

“Danvers,” Maggie greets her. “I was wondering where you got to. Ready to go?”

“Yeah, absolutely.” Grabbing her jacket off the back of her chair, she follows Maggie outside.

Once they’re outside, Maggie chuckles as she stops in the parking lot. Alex notices that she’s laughing at the two motorbikes parked side by side, one of them being her own.

“This one’s yours, isn’t it?” She asks, an amused expression and raised eyebrow decorating her face. “You’ve got good taste.”

Upon realising that the bike next to hers belongs to Maggie, Alex finally understands what’s so amusing. It turns out that the two of them are more alike than she originally thought. Although, the leather jacket Maggie seems to wear most days is almost a dead giveaway that she owns a motorbike.

Alex follows behind Maggie’s bike until they reach what looks to be a bar. She’s not sure that going to a bar with a stranger is something she really feels like doing, but they _do_ have a case, and she’s going to be professional about carrying it out.

Once they get inside, Maggie orders a couple of beers and they go to sit in one of the booths towards the back. Alex isn’t used to this kind of casual exchange with her co-workers, so she knows that this case will certainly prove interesting for the both of them.

“So,” Maggie starts, sliding into the seat and putting both elbows on the table. “Partners, huh?”

“I guess so,” Alex replies, taking a casual sip of her beer.

“I can tell you’re not too impressed.” Maggie smiles. “Don’t worry, I’m not big on partners either. Usually I don’t get paired with someone else unless it’s an important job.”

“Well, this certainly qualifies.”

Maggie purses her lips, as if she’s trying to figure Alex out. “I know I’m just a local cop to you, Agent Danvers, but I’m good at what I do. Your boss wouldn’t have paired us together if I wasn’t.”

It’s not that Alex is unimpressed, it’s just that she has issues trusting easily. She won’t be sure if Maggie is capable for the job until she sees her in action. “Have you ever been undercover before?”

“Not on something with such high stakes,” Maggie answers, her lips lifting slightly in a smile. “But I’ve done bits and pieces in the past.”

“I don’t plan on failing, Detective Sawyer.”

Maggie raises an eyebrow to match Alex. “Neither do I. I’ll be taking this just as seriously as you.”

“Good.” Alex nods in acceptance. “I’m glad we’re on the same page.”

Maggie lifts her beer to her lips, the bottle hiding the smirk that has formed on her face. “Me too, Danvers.”

\------

The next day, Alex and Maggie are briefed on their mission. It all seems rather straightforward to Alex, but she hopes she doesn’t have to worry _too much_ about the woman sitting next to her. She doesn’t want to have to be saving both of their asses if things go wrong. The rest of her conversation with Maggie at the bar didn’t indicate whether the woman would be capable of keeping up with her.

As predicted, Hank presents them with two brand new identities. Alex becomes Sarah McAlister, a bioengineering expert who is looking for work. Maggie becomes Anna Reed, and any trace of Maggie’s law enforcement background has been erased. It’s not too big of a deal for Alex, considering she’s been undercover before. She never has a problem with pretending to be someone else, but again, she’s wondering if Maggie will blow their cover somehow.

The two of them are led into a conference room to be briefed about the mission. Alex has noticed that Maggie walks with a certain confidence, despite being at least three inches shorter than everyone else. There’s something about her that Alex just can’t shake. Although, it’s too soon to tell if she’ll be able to trust her or not.

“Getting you to Lillian should be easy,” Hank tells them once they’ve finally sat down. “It’s what happens _after_ that may be difficult. We’ve managed to alert her to your presence and set up a meeting with her. She’s probably doing a background check on Sarah McAlister as we speak.” He nods towards Alex.

Maggie leans back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other. “So, we get a meeting with her. Then what?”

Hank looks towards Maggie. “Well, we’re hoping that what we’ve put in Alex’s fake background will entice her to want to hire you. Not only have we built up an impressive resume, but Alex’s _actual_ expertise in bioengineering will be helpful during the interview.”

Alex raises her eyebrow at the word ‘hoping’. A lot of this will be based on luck, and she doesn’t like when there are elements in a case that she can’t control.

“Lillian is very smart and very careful. Any slipping out of character will result in you being caught. Then she’ll have slipped through our fingers once again and we’ll be back to square one.”

Alex knows they only get one chance at this. If they’re back at square one, then neither Alex or Maggie can try again, as Lillian would know their true identities. If they want to be the ones to succeed, then they have to get it right the first time.

“You will be relying a lot on improvisation, because we have no idea what Lillian is planning or what she’s going to do with you if you’re hired.”

“And if she’s _not_ hired?” Maggie asks. “Then what do we do?”

Alex rolls her eyes. “You underestimate me.”

Maggie barely blinks. “Maybe, but your boss just said she was unpredictable. Even you won’t be able to guarantee success.”

Alex knows she’s right, but she won’t be outdone before the mission has even begun. Raising an eyebrow, she turns towards Maggie in her seat. “Then we’ll just have to make sure we get it. No exceptions.”

The corner of Maggie’s lips lift upwards. She tilts her head towards Alex. “Well, I’m still game if you are.”

Alex rolls her eyes. From what she’s seen, Maggie does take this seriously, and her humour is a clear attempt to lighten the situation. However, she’s not too sure that her boss would understand in the same way she does. “We’ll get the job done, sir.”

“That’s all I ask,” Hank replies, looking between the two women again. Alex can see the doubt in his eyes, but she will carry this mission on her own if she has to. After all, _she’s_ the one posing as the scientist and putting herself in real danger. Really, Maggie is only there for back up, to meet protocol’s criteria of having a partner with her at all times. “Your meeting is tomorrow at noon. I suggest you two read up on the files we have composed for you so you don’t make any mistakes before the deal is done.”

“Yes, sir.”

Once they leave the room, Maggie is quiet, which already seems unusual to Alex. If she can’t hear some sort of smart remark from her, then she’s sure something’s wrong. How she knows that after only knowing her for twenty-four hours is beyond her.

“You okay? You haven’t said a word since we left the office.” Alex tilts her head, before realising this is the first time she’s ever really softened around her. She chalks it up to concern for her new partner. She doesn’t want her to be off her game.

“Yeah.” Maggie nods. “Just thinking that I _really_ don’t want to screw this up. Not exactly used to playing in the big leagues. A normal day for me usually consists of arresting drunk people, _maybe_ some action if I’m lucky.”

“Then we won’t screw it up.” Alex’s words far outweigh her confidence, but she’s all for saying them if it means putting Maggie at ease. Even just a little. “Henshaw picked you for a reason.” She doesn’t know what that reason is, but he must have a lot of faith in her.

Any insecurities Maggie previously displayed quickly vanish, and are replaced with a soft smirk. “Then I guess I better read up on Anna Reed. She sounds like an... interesting woman.”

Alex nods. “I’ll leave you to it then. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, tomorrow.”

\------

Alex lets out a light chuckle as she collapses on the couch, beer in hand. Her sister joins soon after, but her demeanor is much less lighthearted.

“What do you mean it’s not a big deal, Alex?” Kara looks at her with wide eyes. “You could die.”

Alex frowns. “Now, _that’s_ a little dramatic, don’t you think? I shouldn’t even be telling you about this. It’s classified.”

“And if you succeed, your sister, a brilliant reporter for the Tribune, will have more details than any other media outlet.” Kara puts on her famous puppy dog eyes, which only causes Alex to roll hers.

“Okay… _if_ I succeed? That hurts, Kara. Truly.”

Kara crosses her legs underneath her body so she’s able to turn towards Alex. “I’m serious, Alex. Lillian Luthor is not the kind of woman you want to be messing around with. And how well can you trust this Maggie person anyway? For all we know, she could get you killed.”

Alex shrugs. “She’s a cop, just like me. There’s no reason why she wouldn’t be capable.”

Kara frowns. “So you aren’t a little bit worried? Like, at all?”

“Of course I have concerns, but I’ve been given orders. I have to carry them out.” Alex sighs, training her gaze on her sister. “I get that you worry about me, but it’s all a part of my job. There’s not much I can do about it.”

“You could… quit?” Kara asks, eyes hopeful.

Alex gives her sister an amused smile. “You know I wouldn’t do that even if I wanted to.”

Kara sighs. “Yeah, I know.” She pauses for a long moment, looking at the floor. “Just be careful, okay? I get nervous when you go undercover.”

“I know.” Alex nods. She leans forward and places a swift kiss to Kara’s forehead. “But they wouldn’t have picked me for this job if I wasn’t capable. You just have to trust me.”

Kara forces out a pout, which doesn’t have as much of an effect on Alex as it used to. “Alright, fine. But don’t go dying on me, or I’ll have to kill you.”

Alex laughs. “Okay, deal. I wouldn’t want to incur the wrath of Kara Danvers.” Her tone is teasing, because honestly, Kara couldn’t hurt a fly if her life depended on it. She looks towards her sister again, making sure she’s okay before speaking. “Hey, I came over here under the impression that we’d be getting take out and having an SVU marathon. You in or what?”

\------

Nervous is not something Alex Danvers tends to feel, so she knows that when she does feel that way, something big is about to happen. Even high profile jobs usually don’t make the list, but for some reason, she wants to succeed now more than ever.

Maggie seems anxious too, because she keeps straightening her jacket every five minutes. It’s also the first time Alex has seen her outside of her leather jacket or a police jacket. She looks professional, and Alex thinks that maybe they’ll be able to pull this thing off. At least, the first stage of it.

A lot of it will come down to Alex’s knowledge of bioengineering, and this burden is weighing heavily on her shoulders.

The building is unassuming as they approach it, and Alex should be tipped off right away when she notices that Lillian Luthor is standing directly in the doorway. It takes everything in her to rein herself in and not attempt to arrest her on the spot. She doesn’t remember the last time that the FBI was this close to apprehending her.

Maggie lets Alex step forward and take the lead when it comes to introducing themselves. She has to constantly remind herself that _she_ is the scientist, and she will be discussing bioengineering with a known criminal. It’s not what she’s used to in her day job, but she’s now immensely grateful for her college degree.

They introduce themselves, and if she’s being honest, Alex is surprised that they managed to make it through the front door without being caught. When she was being briefed on the mission, she thought it was impossible to fool someone as brilliant as Lillian Luthor. However, now she’s reminded that she’s only human, just like the rest of them.

Once they get inside, Lillian holds out what looks to be a fingerprint scanner towards both women. Neither of them flinch, as they know that their backgrounds have been taken care of. It’s of no surprise to Alex that she’s being this thorough, especially when she knows she’s on a lot of the ‘most wanted’ lists around the country.

“I hope you don’t mind. It’s just a formality. We have had some trouble in the past with rival scientists attempting to get information on our work.” Lillian gives them a smile, but it’s not at all friendly.

“Not at all,” Alex replies with a professional smile of her own. “I think you’ll find that we haven’t ever been involved with any of your peers. We’ve been working on our own for a long time.”

“That’s what we like to hear. I’m hoping you’ll find that your expertise is needed on a project such as ours.”

Lillian holds eye contact until the fingerprint scanner beeps. Looking down on it, she nods at both of their results. “McAlister and Reed. Well then, everything looks to be in order.” She steps aside, and Alex marvels in how easy it was to fool her. “Come on in.”

Maggie stands aside and lets Maggie walk in first. The first thing Alex notices is that this isn’t a lab at all. Clearly, they weren’t planning on having their very first meeting amongst all of her research. Lillian has seemingly thought ahead, and is conducting the interview in an office space. Either way, it still looks a lot more high tech than any office space she has ever been in before.

As they walk, Lillian turns towards Alex and begins to ask her question about Sarah McAlister’s supposed ‘research’. Alex had managed to study up a bit on her own file the night before, so she was able to answer her questions with ease. It made her feel a lot better to know that she could hold a conversation about bioengineering with Lillian Luthor.

They continue to talk until they arrive in what looks to be Lillian’s office. Maggie has been following along silently the whole time, knowing better than to interrupt something she doesn’t quite understand. There’s a man standing by Lillian’s desk, and Alex notices the smirk on his face as they enter the room.

Lillian stops in front of her desk, and turns to look towards Maggie. “So, Anna. That’s short for…?”

Alex panics immediately. That’s not something they openly discussed, and she’s really not sure how much preparation Maggie did for this role.

“Annabelle,” Maggie answers without missing a beat. She even twitches her nose, a hint of displeasure, when she says it. “Doesn’t really suit me, so I cut it short.”

“I see. And what exactly do you do for Dr. McAlister?” Lillian asks.

“I’m her assistant.” Maggie nods. “I’m the most familiar with her work, so it’s easier for her to keep me on staff.”

Lillian’s eyes linger on Maggie. “I see.” She then turns towards the man, who has yet to speak. “Speaking of assistants, this is Maxwell Lord. I guess you could call him my… advisor, of sorts.”

Alex doesn’t like him as soon as she lays eyes on him, and she can tell by Maggie’s expression, that she feels the same way. He’s leering, and it makes Alex want to throw him across the room like she’s fairly certain she could if she wasn’t undercover. Not only that, but he doesn’t look _at all_ like an assistant, which makes Alex even more suspicious of Lillian than she already was.

Maxwell ignores Maggie completely as he heads over towards Alex. “Please, call me Max. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Dr. McAlister.” He takes her hand, bringing it to his lips. If it didn't endanger their mission, the man would be on the floor by now. “I must say I’m very impressed with your work. I’m surprised we haven’t met before now.”

Maggie looks towards Max with what can only be described as a glare. Alex watches her cross her arms over her chest and suppress an eye roll out of the corner of her eye. She begins to realise that she’s paying more attention to Maggie than she is to the man in front of her.

“Yes, well, we do some very advanced work in the field. When we heard about Dr. Luthor’s experiments, we were… interested, to say the least.”

“And we are _very_ interested in you.”

Something tells Alex this has nothing to do with the science of it all.

Maggie clears her throat, immediately drawing attention back to the task at hand. Alex almost thinks about throwing her a grateful look. _Almost_.

Lillian gets back to it almost immediately. She moves behind her desk, gesturing for the two women to sit in the chairs provided.

“We _are_ very interested in working with you, Dr. McAlister. I am hosting a weekend away for my employees in Boston and I’d love for you to come and get acquainted with the other scientists.”

Alex shifts uncomfortably, despite being eager to take up the offer to get closer to Lillian and her work. “And what about my partner here?”

“We only require your expertise in our lab, doctor. Only employees are required to be there.”

Maggie narrows her eyes but doesn’t say anything in her own defence. Alex takes it upon herself to argue for her. “We’re a team. You would be at a great disadvantage if you didn't include the both of us in your work.” She turns towards Maggie and gives her a sweet smile for emphasis, which she's relieved to see Maggie reciprocates with the same amount of enthusiasm.

Max pauses, looking between the two of them with interest. “Wait, are you two… a couple?”

Alex opens her mouth to reply, but nothing comes out. How can he guess that they're _a couple_ based on just one smile? Just by sharing one look? Alex assumed there would be natural chemistry between them based on Hank’s choice to place them together, but not to the extent that outsiders would view it as more than platonic.

Maggie is a lot quicker than Alex is when it comes to responding. Even if it isn't at all what she's expecting. “Actually, yes. We are.”

Alex knows that if any of the horror she’s feeling shows on her face, they’ll be made for sure. However, some quick thinking on her part allows her to keep all of her emotions inward. Maggie is faking a smile that would knock Alex off her feet if she was standing up. Not only that, but the detective has put an arm over the back of her chair for even more emphasis.

Max opens his mouth, then closes it again. “I apologise.” The look on his face suggests he’s not sorry at all, and he looks towards Lillian.

“Well, that changes things.” Lillian nods towards the two of them. “You are certainly allowed to bring your significant other along with you to Boston. Usually they don’t have an interest in such things, but since you’re both in the same field...”

Maggie nods. “We usually keep it a secret. We wouldn’t want to seem unprofessional to our peers.”

Alex is unable to formulate a proper sentence, or actually comprehend what Maggie has just done. She can’t even begin to think about what this means for the case, because she’s now forced to adapt to being Maggie’s _girlfriend_ in a matter of seconds.

Alex realises that Maggie has now turned towards her. “Isn’t that right, babe?”

The word ‘babe’ gives Alex a certain kind of shiver that she’s not sure she wants to feel ever again. The sweet, dimpled smile Maggie gives her is all the ammunition she needs. She swallows, turning her attention towards Lillian. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s right.”

The most amazing part to Alex is that it all seems completely normal to Lillian, who only nods and says, “Well, your secret is safe with us.” However, the smile on her face doesn’t ease Alex’s concerns all that much. She knows she won’t be letting her guard down any time soon.

Alex nods, trying not to show any changes in behaviour. “So, can we assume we have an offer? Are you willing to discuss more details of your project?”

“We will talk about all of that in Boston.” Lillian’s voice sounds too _sure_ for Alex to truly trust her, but they have bigger things to worry about at the moment. “Shall I be adding both of you to the guest list?”

Maggie nods, and Alex then feels a quick squeeze of her shoulder. Maggie’s arm is still around the back of her chair, and her knuckles are lightly grazing her shoulder. She’s good at this. _Really_ good at this. It makes Alex wonder if she’s done this before whilst undercover.

It’s then she realises that Maggie is looking at her. It’s as if she’s burning a hole in her skin just with her gaze. Alex quickly regains her composure, nodding towards Lillian. “Yes, we’ll both be there.”

“Fantastic.” Another devilish smile covers her face, and it makes Alex want to leave the room and never look back. “Well, we’ll be seeing you this weekend. I will make sure to send over details.”

Nodding, Alex stands up from her chair, breaking all physical contact with Maggie. She reaches out, shaking Lillian’s hand, almost feeling a chill when she does. A part of her wants to get out of there as quickly as possible. Too much has happened, and she needs time to process before they continue with the case.

“I look forward to seeing you there, Dr. McAlister.” Lillian nods. “I’m hoping you’ll share our opinion that your work will be invaluable to our cause.”

“Thank you, Dr. Luthor.”

Maggie stands up, smiling sweetly at the pair. “Will we be seeing you there, Mr. Lord?”

Max straightens where he stands. “Of course.” His eyes move towards Alex. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Alex thanks Lillian once more before heading out of the office, Maggie close behind her.

\------

Alex bursts through the front door first, making sure she’s a few feet ahead of Maggie before she turns around to speak.

“What the hell were you thinking? Us _dating_?!” It’s not really the dating part she’s concerned about, it’s more about being blindsided by it all. She didn’t realise that Maggie’s quick-thinking would end up being a hindrance. “You do realize you’ve blown this entire case, right? How do you propose we explain this to my boss?”

Maggie doesn’t seem at all fazed by Alex’s yelling. All she does is cross her arms over her chest. “Blown it? I saved our both of our asses in there. Lillian only wants _you_ . Now there’s a reason for the _both_ of us to go to Boston. I think we should explain to _your boss_ that I found a way to make sure that you still have a partner going into this mission.”

An incredulous look crosses Alex’s face. “Is that right? And it has nothing to do with Lillian’s assistant hitting on me?”

Maggie scoffs, but half-dodges the question. “That guy was a grade-A asshole.”

“I don’t need you to _protect_ me, Maggie.”

Maggie steps closer. “Who the hell said I was protecting you? I’m protecting this _case_. Without my quick thinking, you’d be going to Boston alone!”

Alex locks her jaw. “Maybe that’d be for the best.” She _really_ didn’t work well with partners.

Maggie rolls her eyes. “Fine. You know what? The next time we’re in a sticky situation, you get out of it yourself. Okay?”

Alex sighs, but it comes out more like a huff. She doesn’t particularly want to take the high road but she doesn’t have much of a choice in this case. “Look, we have to get along. For the sake of the case. If Lillian senses any tension she’ll see through us. We can’t be angry at each other, not when we have a job to do. We’re stuck in this lie now, and we have to deal with it.”

Maggie runs a hand through her hair. “Look, I don’t want you to think that this is some… _plan_ to seduce you or something. I know you’ve seen that I date a lot of woman, but I was just acting on instinct. I know you’re not gay.”

Alex’s head turns sharply towards Maggie. She’s taken aback by the fact that Maggie knows she’s been watching her. Not only that, but the final sentence makes her frown, but she doesn’t have time to think about that right now. “That’s not… I didn’t think that. Not for a second. It’s not about that.”

Maggie nods, looking away. “Okay.”

Alex really doesn’t need the extra complications that this mission now has, but there’s nothing she can do except roll with it. “We should get back to the station. The sooner we tell my boss, the sooner we can work something out.”

Alex begins to walk, but out of the corner of our eye, she can see that Maggie isn’t moving. She turns to look at her again.

“Look, Alex, I’m—”

Alex cuts her off. “Look, Sawyer, it’s one weekend.”

Maggie tenses, and Alex guesses it’s due to the use of her surname.

“We can survive one weekend as a couple.” Alex says it if she’s trying to convince herself, not Maggie. And maybe she is, especially with Maggie’s words about her sexuality lingering in the back of her mind. She’s not sure that blurring the lines between them is such a good idea, because things are already starting to get hazy.

If she was any good at apologies, she might say sorry for overreacting, but agreeing to be cooperative will have to do for now.

“You’re right,” Maggie finally replies. A soft sigh escapes her. “One weekend should be fine.”

“Great.” Alex’s voice clips. Her voice then drops to a low mutter. “Let’s get back before we manage to screw anything else up.”

\------

They don’t speak on their way back to the station, which is probably a good thing, because Alex doesn’t want to say something she’ll regret later. Especially when she has to now work _very_ closely with Maggie. If it were any other case, she knows that Henshaw would take her off it in a heartbeat. However, since they are undercover, it isn’t really a possibility. Now, they have to live with this lie until they come back from Boston.

It’s not ideal, especially when this case was already presenting itself as a challenge, but Alex will (reluctantly) take it on.

When they report back to Alex’s boss, they decide to break the news gently.

Hank nods along as the two women tell him about the event in Boston. “This is now outside of NYPD’s jurisdiction, Detective Sawyer. We can get someone else from the FBI to accompany Agent Danvers to this… event.”

Maggie’s hands land on her hips, and Alex can already tell she’s not impressed with the suggestion. Alex wouldn’t be either. “Lillian Luthor knows both of our faces, and we’re both down on the guestlist. It would look suspicious if someone else showed up in my place.

Alex sighs, deciding there’s no point delaying the inevitable. “Plus, we’re kind of… stuck.”

Hank narrows his eyes. “What do you mean ‘stuck’?”

Explaining to her boss the details of what happened goes just about as Alex had expected. He’s not impressed, and she would be surprised if his reaction was anything different. Maggie makes it a point to tell him that it’s her own fault, which, to an extent, Alex appreciates. She’s not used to messing up, so she doesn’t want this particular screw up to go on her record. Despite that, Alex feels the need to step in, which is an impulse she’s not quite used to.

“Look, if Detective Sawyer hadn’t thought of something, I’d be going to Boston alone right now, so…” Alex shrugs, and she tries to ignore the way Maggie looks at her. “Maybe it’s our only option.”

“I only have an issue with it if you can’t pull it off, Agent Danvers. This just adds an extra, much more complicated layer to the mission that is entirely unnecessary. You have enough to worry about without having to _pretend_ you’re a couple on top of it all.”

Maggie cuts in. “We can handle it, sir. We’re already playing parts, this will just remind us to stay in those parts.”

Hank looks unconvinced. “If you say so. But if you fail, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

“Fine.” Maggie crosses her arms over her chest. “With all due respect, I don’t plan on failing, so I wouldn’t hold your breath, sir.”

This time, it’s Alex’s turn to look at Maggie when her own words from a few days ago repeated. She has to admit, Maggie certainly has the guts to get the job done. Only time will tell if her skill level matches. Though, judging by how easily she slipped into her assigned role, Alex doesn’t think it will be a problem for her.

 _Herself_ on the other hand, is an entirely different story. Relationships in general are hard for her to handle, but a _fake_ one with a _woman_ is definitely not something she’s attempted. At least she’s sure she can get away with _not_ telling Kara the details of her undercover work, especially since it could get her in danger.

Hank lifts his hands up in defeat. “I am trusting you both with this. I suggest you both coordinate yourselves before you go so you don’t mess this up.”

Alex looks over towards Maggie, and Maggie’s already looking at her, as if they’re thinking about the same thing. She already knows this is going to be messy, because it could just about destroy any potential friendship they might have. She doesn’t know how deep this will have to get to _not_ blow their cover. It’ll probably be a lot easier for Maggie than it will be for Alex, which she knows will be unfair in a lot of respects.

It’s a challenge Alex isn’t used to. This doesn’t only require her knowledge and skills as an agent, but she has to tap into an emotional side. The likes of which haven’t surfaced in God knows how long. It’s a vulnerability that may cost them in the end.

Alex turns away from both figures in the room, deciding that she may need to get a few beers just to ease the tension she’s feeling. Maybe she can drink away the weekend in Boston, if she’s lucky.

It isn’t until her third beer later that night that a text comes through from Maggie.

_[Maggie] You rushed out of there pretty quick today._

_[Alex] I needed a drink. Or five._

_[Maggie] Bring me along next time._

Alex smiles. She tells herself it’s just the alcohol.

_[Alex] Yeah, okay._

_[Alex] Any reason for the late night text?_

_[Maggie] Just checking up on you._

Alex flushes. Oh, no.

_[Alex] So, you’re practicing the fake girlfriend thing then?_

_[Maggie] I’ve had some experience with the real deal. I don’t need practice._

Alex isn’t sure how she manages to be smooth through _text message_ , but Maggie seems to have mastered the art. For some reason, Maggie’s comment about Alex’s sexuality pops into her head. Again, she blames the beer. Before she can reply, Maggie has already sent through another text.

_[Maggie] But I’ll leave you to your drinking. Talk tomorrow?_

_[Alex] Definitely._

_[Maggie] Wow, you’re a lot more agreeable when you’ve been drinking._

Alex scoffs out loud. This woman is proving to be impossible.

_[Alex] Whatever you say, Sawyer._

_[Maggie] Night, Alex._

Alex stares at the four letters of her name for a long moment before replying.

_[Alex] Night, Maggie._


	2. Two

Alex doesn't realise just how real the situation is until they're at the airport, standing in a line and waiting to board their plane to Boston. It still doesn’t feel real to her. She’s somebody’s _girlfriend_ . Even if it is fake, she doesn’t even remember the last time she held that title. She doesn’t remember the last time she held that title _well_.

Maggie’s smiling, which Alex tends to think _isn't_ the best sign in the world. She's going to have far too much fun with this, meanwhile Alex is wondering what on earth she got herself into.

However, one thing that does strike Alex as being odd, is Maggie’s relationship status. There's absolutely no doubt in Alex’s mind that she's dating someone back home, and there's no way they would be okay with her taking this case. Not that Maggie would be able to divulge any of the case’s information anyway.

“This is going to sound… weird.”

Alex doesn't look at her as she speaks, but Maggie turns her head to study her as soon as the words leave her mouth. “What is?”

Alex takes a deep breath. “I’m just wondering about… the other women in your life. I’m sure they won't be impressed if they find out you're dating a woman and running off to another state with her. Even if it is fake.”

Maggie laughs, which isn't the reaction Alex is expecting. “I’m not dating anyone. Not seriously, anyway.”

Alex narrows her eyes. “So none of the girls at the station? The ones you flirt with relentlessly?”

Maggie smirks. “Someone's been keeping an eye on me.”

Alex rolls her eyes immediately. “You're avoiding the question.”

“No, I’m not dating them. Some casual flirting never hurt anyone. Sometimes it involves a night out, but it’s usually just one.” Maggie shrugs. Clearly Alex is making a bigger deal out of this than it needs to be. “I probably wouldn't have blurted out to Lillian that you were my girlfriend if I had an _actual_ girlfriend back home. I’m not… like that. Despite what you may think about me.”

Alex watches her with curiosity. She's certainly not the woman she makes herself out to be, and it only makes Alex anxious to learn more. Which is something she would never admit out loud, of course, but the feeling is still there. She's just glad that Maggie has experience in not only relationships as a whole, but relationships with women.

However, that fact also makes her nervous. Making a fool out of herself is also something she wishes to avoid. She has a lot to prove and a lot of pride to lose. As far as she can see it, she has a lot further to fall than Maggie does if this all goes wrong.

It takes her a moment to realise that Maggie is watching her again, and her cheeks heat up.

“You never said anything about your romantic life,” Maggie points out. “Any boyfriend I should be concerned about coming after me?”

Alex scoffs. “Boyfriend? No.” Besides, something tells Alex that Maggie can take care of herself. “There’s nobody.”

There hasn’t been anybody for a _long_ time, but she doesn’t feel the need to bring that up. The last thing she wants is Maggie to look at her with any kind of pity. They’re here to do a job, not socialize. Although, the curious look Maggie is currently giving her makes her hesitate for a brief moment. Alex has noticed that this woman tends to have a powerful way of looking at people. She’s sure Maggie’s used that to her advantage on more than one occasion.

However, she’s grateful when Maggie doesn’t continue to comment on her private life.

“I was looking for the right time to bring this up, but…” Maggie looks serious. “I think we need to establish boundaries. Normally I’d just act on instinct, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable.”

“No.” Alex shakes her head firmly. Any holding back could result in Lillian becoming suspicious and consequently losing her. Alex has to be fully committed to this, or not at all. “Acting on instinct is what you should do. We need to seem as natural as possible.”

Maggie raises an eyebrow in amusement. “So you're okay with PDA?”

“...Within reason. I don't expect to be groped in public.”

Maggie snorts. It's an adorable sound that immediately brings a smile to Alex’s face. “So, you're okay with being groped in _private_?”

“You know what I mean, Sawyer.”

“I do.” Maggie nods. “When a girl tells me I’m allowed to kiss her in public, then I definitely understand.”

Alex rolls her eyes again, immediately regretting this conversation. “You would.”

“Hey,” Maggie says, placing a hand on Alex’s arm. “I’m only teasing. If something comes up and you're not comfortable with it, you say the word. I'm the one who got us into this mess, the least I can do is try to make it easier on you.”

Alex smiles softly. It's entirely involuntary, but she can't help herself. “I appreciate that.”

Maggie nods. “We should still talk though. You know, establish the when’s, where’s and how’s of our relationship. Maxwell Lord’s bound to have questions.” She rolls her eyes.

It irritates Alex that the person who will likely be keeping an eye on them the most is Lillian Luthor’s ogling ‘advisor’. She's quite sure he was only hired to be sneaky, and he looks just the type. Alex knows they're going to have to be extra careful, especially if they have two sets of eyes on them. They could be caught off guard at any moment.

“That's a good idea.” Alex nods. “We can always just be honest. Say we met on the job. I hired you to be my assistant, we fell in love and the rest is history.” She pauses, stealing a glance at Maggie. “You don't care that you're my assistant, do you?”

Maggie shakes her head, a slow smirk forming on her face. “I get to be a badass in real life, Danvers, I don’t need to play the part.”

Alex will admit that Maggie’s attempt at making the situation humorous _does_ make her smile. There have been nerves swirling around her ever since she was given this job, and maybe it’s a good thing that she has a partner who isn’t so… _uptight_. Someone who might be able to calm her down if things don’t go to plan. Which she expects will happen at one point or another. This mission has disaster written all over it.

The line begins to move, and eventually, they end up at their seats on the plane. Alex is used to flying to all sorts of different places for work, but this trip may prove to be a bit more relaxing than the rest. At least, she’ll have to _fake_ feeling relaxed.

“Honestly? I think we’ll be fine.” Maggie nods as she clips her seatbelt. “What we’re doing… it’s not as hard as you think. Eventually you just… fall into a routine and stick to it.”

Alex lets out a clipped laugh. “It sure sounds like you’re an expert on this.”

Maggie shrugs. “Like I said, I’ve done my fair share of undercover work.”

“And that involved you being… involved with other women?”

Maggie chuckles. “Don’t worry, Danvers, I’m not going to go fake-cheat on you.”

Alex has lost count of the amount of times she’s rolled her eyes. However, she’s finding that it’s mostly out of amusement and not annoyance, which is a pleasant change. Maggie somehow manages to bring out a side of her that she’s not used to seeing. Even after knowing her for only a few days. She hopes that natural chemistry will aid them when it comes to fooling Lillian.

Maggie fiddles with her watch for a moment, before sighing heavily. “How is your boss and the FBI going to keep track of us anyway? What if something goes wrong and they have no idea where we are?”

Alex smirks. “Don’t worry, I’ve got that covered.”

Maggie raises an eyebrow. “Care to explain?”

“I carry a GPS tracker at all times in the field.” Alex nods. “It’s not usually necessary but it’s handy for cases such as this. It’s inconspicuous so nobody will ever accidentally find it.”

Maggie laughs. “Of course you do. I shouldn’t have expected any different from you.” She looks her up and down for a brief moment. “But now you’ve got me curious.”

The plane begins to move, which halts their conversation. Alex looks out the window, watching the tarmac slowly drift away from them. She can feel Maggie’s eyes on her, but she doesn’t say anything. Sure, she’s had partners before on cases, but not somebody who has watched her every move. It’s as if Maggie’s constantly checking on her. It’s as if she’s waiting for Alex to change her mind and run off the plane.

Even if the thought has crossed her mind, she knows it’s not an option.

Maggie stops watching her somewhere between the plane lifting off and levelling out. Alex shifts in her seat. She’s pretty sure that if she’s able to survive this weekend, then she would be able to survive anything thrown her way.

\------

Kara isn’t one to get involved with her sister’s job. _Especially_ when her sister says it’s far too dangerous and tries to stop her at all costs.

However, Kara tends to be far too curious for her own good. When something’s bugging her, she has to investigate it until she has her answer. She would like to think it’s the reporter in her.

She knows Alex is going to kill her for this, but a naive part of her hopes that she can get away with it without her finding out. Except, Alex always manages to find out in the end.

When she found out that Lillian Luthor was Alex’s target, Kara could only keep coming back to one name. Lena Luthor. LIllian’s daughter is a powerful woman who has been in the Tribune quite a few times with various articles about her company and family history. Kara thinks that just one interview with her could give her all the information she needs. However, she knows Alex wouldn’t approve whatsoever of Kara meddling in FBI-related affairs. Especially when it comes to the daughter and sister of two criminal masterminds.

Actually, she’s relatively sure that nobody will be impressed with what she’s doing.

The L-Corp building is pristine. Kara knew the Luthors had money, but not to this extent. She’s in awe as she wanders through the lobby. She made sure to make an appointment, knowing that, being the CEO of her own company, Lena was likely a very busy woman.

When it’s time for her to enter Lena’s office, she feels even more exposed. It's spacious, and very white, and she feels like there's nowhere she's going to be able to hide from this woman.

Lena doesn't even look up from her work before speaking. “Miss Danvers, is it?” Her tone is clipped, as if she's unimpressed that a reporter wants to speak to her, which Kara understands. She figures that half of Lena’s appointments would be because of reporters.

Lena Luthor is an intimidating woman. Dark hair, bright eyes, pale skin. She looks like something supernatural, and Kara tends to have a problem with her nerves under pressure. It doesn't help that when Lena finally _does_ look at her, it's with a gaze so piercing that she feels even more exposed.

“Y—Yes. Kara Danvers with the Tribune.”

Lena motions towards the seat in front of her desk with her hand.

Once she reaches the desk, Kara extends her hand to Lena. If there's one thing she's good at, it's charming people with her sunny disposition. “It's an honour to meet you, Miss Luthor. L-Corp is doing so many great things for the city.”

Lena looks cautious as she takes her hand, shaking it firmly. “What can I do for you, Miss Danvers?”

“I just have a few questions about your family.”

Lena chuckles. “Hasn't the Tribune spent enough time talking about my brother’s criminal activities?”

“Actually… I'm not here to talk about Lex.” Even if she was more than intrigued as to how Lex Luthor managed to commit so many crimes that he would be spending thirty-two lifetimes in prison. However, this sentence manages to capture Lena’s attention. “I'm here to talk about your parents. Specifically, your mother.”

A frown crosses Lena’s face as soon as her mother is mentioned. “What about my mother?”

Something tells Kara it isn’t something she gets asked about a lot. All she really wants to know is if she’s aware of what illegal things her mother is doing, and if she’s involved, but obviously, that isn’t something she can ask outright. She knows she has to put whatever reporting skills she has to the test.

“I was hoping to discuss your relationship with her. I was wondering if that had contributed to any of the success you had today.”

Lena is watching her curiously, and it’s almost as if she can’t quite figure Kara out. In all honesty, Kara doesn’t need to conduct a fifth interview with Lena about her brother. That story has been done and dusted. _This_ , however, is something that none of the other articles had touched upon. Even though Lillian was also a known criminal, she had been underground for so long that there were no questions to really ask. Not when Lex was out there killing people for sport.

“My mother and I don’t really _have_ a relationship. I’ve been called into questioning countless times where the police and FBI have asked me about her whereabouts but… I’m afraid I’m not in contact with her.”

Kara’s not sure what she had been expecting. She knew Lena wasn’t just going to give up the location of her mother and what she had been doing all this time. However, there’s a sincerity in Lena’s eyes that makes Kara think that she might not know after all.

“Is there any reason why this has come out now?” Lena narrows her eyes. “Has she been found?”

“Oh, no…” Kara shakes her head. “I mean— I wouldn’t know anything about that.” Her delivery isn’t smooth whatsoever, and she’s sure Lena can tell she’s hiding something, but she doesn’t press the issue. “I’m just… curious. I figured you’d be sick of being asked about your brother.”

“Well,” Lena chuckles, “you’re right about that. If I have to hear another question about if I was in on my brother’s nefarious schemes, then I would be irritated to say the least.”

“I guess I was just wondering… if your mother was the one who influenced you to get into business. Did she encourage you to take over the company?”

“Not quite.” Lena gives her a wry smile. Kara can tell she isn’t too comfortable discussing her personal life with a complete stranger. “I haven’t spoken to her since she became a face on New York most wanted list. I guess that’s the one thing she did right by me, not getting me involved in her mess.”

“So… she’s never tried to recruit you?”

Lena shakes her head. “She doesn’t trust me. She knows I would tell the police as soon as I found out what she was doing.”

Kara puts her notebook down, focusing more on Lena and less on the interview itself. “Would you? Tell the police, I mean.”

Lena narrows her eyes. “Yes, I would. Is there something you’re not telling me, Miss Danvers? Something you know about my mother?”

Kara realises she’s not nearly as sneaky as she’d hoped. She’s also a terrible liar, so the more she stays in this room, the more likely she is to tell Lena everything. “I’m not really sure what’s going on, Miss Luthor.” It’s not a lie, but it’s far enough from one that she can probably get away with it. “I was just hoping for some information for a story.”

“Right.” Lena is still eyeing her. Kara’s quite sure the woman hasn’t taken her eyes off her since the moment she introduced herself. Such intense eye contact is making her anxious, and all she can really do is sink in her chair. “I apologise, I don’t think you’ll find what you’re looking for here.”

Kara takes that as her cue to leave. Standing up, she extends her hand towards Lena again. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Luthor.”

Lena takes her hand, grasping it firmly. When Kara releases her hand, Lena reaches to her desk, handing Kara a small, white business card with her phone number on it. “Call me if you have any more questions.”

The statement throws Kara off balance. She’s not sure why a CEO of a multi million dollar company would happily give her phone number to a reporter for the Tribune. She opens her mouth to speak, but Lena beats her to it.

“If we meet again, I hope it’s under better circumstances, Miss Danvers.”

Again, Kara is completely thrown off by Lena’s words. She’s not expecting Lena to want to see her again. She figures that reporters were the last people that Lena Luthor wanted to spend time with. Nevertheless, as she’s leaving Lena’s office, she’s quite sure that she’ll never need to use the business card that now sits in the front pocket of her bag.

\------

It all begins a lot quicker than Alex is ready for.

As soon as they get to the hotel, Lillian is already in the lobby greeting her guests. Maggie already has a hand on her back, as if she had been predicting it. Alex, on the other hand, has a locked expression, and is really beginning to doubt whether she can pull this off.

It’s as if Maggie senses her concern, because they stop walking before they enter the door. Maggie looks up at her, giving her a reassuring smile. “You okay?”

Furrowing her eyebrows, Alex gives her a firm nod. “Yeah. Of course.  Definitely.”

Alex can tell that Maggie isn’t buying a single word of it, but she doesn’t say so. Instead, she removes her hand from Alex’s back and takes her hand. Alex certainly isn’t prepared for the warmth that invades her body at just a simple touch, and somehow, she already feels a little more relaxed.

She’s starting to wonder if Maggie has some sort of superpower she doesn’t know about.

“C’mon, Danvers.” She tugs on Alex’s hand, snapping her out of her daze. “I’ll be right there with you. Let’s get this over with.”

The brief thought enters her mind that she wouldn’t _mind_ it lasting a little longer than it needs to. However, that thought is quickly erased when she comes face to face with Lillian Luthor once again.

The woman’s eyes immediately go to Alex and Maggie’s hands, which makes Alex think that she may already be suspicious. Alex’s hand squeezes Maggie’s involuntarily, hoping to find it a source of comfort. They exchange pleasantries, and the whole time, Alex can only think that Lillian is studying her every move. Maybe she’s being paranoid because she knows she’s lying to her, but there is a small part of her that thinks Lillian’s on to them.

“I’ll show you to your room.” Lillian gives the two women a nod before turning on her heel and heading towards the elevator.

Alex eyes the other guests as she walks past, knowing they’re all watching her because nobody else has a personal escort to their room by Lillian Luthor.

Alex almost panics when Maggie lets go of her hand as they step inside the elevator, but breathes a quiet sigh of relief when she feels that same hand on her back instead. She knows Maggie’s going to be able to keep her calm in a lot of these situations. Not that she’d ever admit she was nervous to begin with.

Once they reach the floor, Lillian steps out and continues down the hallway. They step into the hallway, and Maggie takes her hand again in a clean motion. She makes it seem so easy, and it makes Alex glad that she was chosen as her partner. Alex might be playing the role of the scientist, but Maggie was much better in the role of girlfriend. It’s almost as if Hank knew this combination would work out somehow.

When they stop in front of the door, Lillian stands in front of it, blocking their way. “I’ll be hosting a party tonight in the ballroom downstairs. It’s formal, and I expect to see you both there. It’ll give you a chance to meet other employees. Some of whom you may be working with in the future.”

Alex and Maggie share a look, both nodding. It’s not like it will be particularly _fun_ for either of them, but Alex hopes they’ll gain more information by participating.

“We’d love to.” Alex gives her a professional smile.

Lillian smiles back, and it’s almost diabolical. “You two have a good time. I’m very glad you decided to come along.”

“Oh, I’m sure we will.” Alex doesn’t miss the hint of flirtiness in Maggie’s tone, and she feels her elbow nudging her in her side.

Alex swallows. The insinuation isn't lost on her. She knows Maggie’s just trying to keep up the act, but there are some points where it feels strangely real coming from her. And Alex’s reaction to it only makes things more confusing. Maggie’s thumb is tracing circles on the back of her hand, and Alex holds her breath as Lillian continues to watch them.

“Drinks will be served at seven.” This is the last thing Lillian says before turning on her heel and heading back down towards the hallway. Maggie’s hand doesn’t let go of Alex’s, even when the elevator doors have closed and she has disappeared from sight.

With her free hand, Maggie slides the room keycard into the slot and pulls Alex inside. “I hope you remembered to pack your best dress, Danvers.” She wiggles her eyebrows teasingly.

When the door shuts behind them, Maggie finally drops her hand, and it isn’t until she does that Alex realises how much she misses such a simple act. It’s been a long time since she’s had any human contact that hasn’t been with her sister or mother. Alex may act like she’s made of steel, but she has the same human needs as everyone else. The only difference is, she buries them deep enough so that her personal life takes a backseat to her work life. Maybe she can enjoy this, no strings attached.

Or, maybe not.

It takes her a moment for her eyes to adjust to the room, and it’s then that she notices the bed. One bed. That wasn’t something she considered beforehand, and now she feels the nerves flooding her body. The room is spacious, with a couch and a coffee table in the middle. A TV sits on the wall, and a mini bar, which she hopes is filled with cheap liquor.

“Relax.” When Alex turns towards Maggie, she expects a smirk from the detective. Instead, there’s a soft smile that’s more inviting than anything else. She tilts her head towards the bed. “I can take the couch if you want.”

Shaking her head immediately, Alex knows she has to carry this out properly. One misstep could ruin everything. Her job is to be in a relationship with this woman, and she’ll be damned if she’s the one to screw it up. “No, it’s fine.” She’s shared a bed with worse people over the years, that’s for sure. “It’s not like I don’t trust you, Maggie. You’re my partner, I have to trust you.”

The smile on Maggie’s face is genuine. “I’m glad. I’d never do anything to make you uncomfortable.”

“I don’t want you to tiptoe too much. We still have to seem like a real couple.”

The smile on Maggie’s face eventually does grow into a smirk, which really shouldn’t surprise Alex. “You don’t have to worry about that. Tonight is the perfect opportunity to prove we’re the real deal.”

“Is that right?” Alex crosses her arms over her chest. She’ll bite. “Why’s that?”

“Because, Danvers, it’s _date night_ for Sarah and Anna.”

\------

If ‘date night’ was strictly limited to just Sarah and Anna, Alex would find this whole situation a lot easier to deal with. The more time she spends in a close proximity to Maggie, the more the lines between them blur. There are brief moments where she forgets this whole situation isn’t real. Which, in terms of their acting, is probably a good thing. However, the toll it’s taking on her mind won’t be good once they finally finish the job.

As soon as Maggie steps out of the bathroom in her dress, Alex’s mouth goes dry. It’s always been clear to her that Maggie’s an attractive woman. Her sexuality — whatever the hell that may be — doesn’t negate that. However, there’s something about the way Maggie isn’t shy in a strapless, figure-hugging dress that makes the wheels in Alex’s head begin to turn.

When Maggie notices her expression, the way the detective looks at her isn’t completely innocent either. She’s gorgeous, and she knows it. It makes Alex’s stomach turn in knots. This isn’t what she should be feeling. Not in a ‘fake’ situation. All signs are telling her to abort the mission and just _leave_ , but there’s a smaller part of her, a curious part, that wants to see where this all leads. Even if it terrifies her.

She doesn’t remember the last time she felt this physically attracted to someone, and the thought is giving her ideas that she _really_ doesn’t want to be having.

“I think I’m slightly overdressed.” Maggie’s words bring Alex back to reality. She realises she’s still staring, and she knows that Maggie has probably noticed.

“Definitely not.” Alex shakes her head. “You look great.”

Maggie raises an eyebrow. “Just great?”

Alex scoffs, mostly out of nerves. “Please. You know how good you look.” She’s beautiful. Beyond beautiful, if she could even find a word for it. And not in an innocent way either She’s not brave enough to say it out loud just yet.

Maggie smiles. “I guess. It’s always good to hear it from someone though.”

Alex rolls her eyes. “Well, I’ll make sure to find someone for you.”

Maggie chuckles. “Very funny, _Sarah_.”

Alex grabs her dress off the bed and heads into the bathroom. Even the thought of dressing up makes her nervous. Somehow, the stakes are even higher than they were before. They have to spend an entire evening in close proximity to not only Lillian, but probably Max too. There’s no doubt that he’s going to be watching them like a hawk, and just looking at his face makes Alex nauseous.

Her dress isn’t as tight-fitting as Maggie’s, but she still manages to feel glamorous. Hers also offers a lower neckline, which she may or may not have chosen on purpose. She’s not normally one to dress up and go to functions, but she’s always willing to go all-out when the opportunity arises. _Especially_ when she has a date she needs to impress.

On their way down to the ballroom, Maggie has her hand on Alex’s back again. It takes a moment for Alex to remember that they’re supposed to be pretending, because she’s warming up to the idea of this relationship much too quickly for her liking. She stays close to Maggie as they watch various guests from other rooms wander towards the elevator.

“You okay, Danvers?” She hears Maggie murmur in her ear.

Alex only nods in response, keeping her eyes on the people around her. She’s realised that she’s starting to get paranoid. Anyone around them could be some sort of spy for Lillian. After all, all these people _do_ work for them.

“We don’t have to do this, you know. We can go back to the room and order a pizza, or something.” Maggie shrugs, and although the offer is tempting, it’ll be worse for them if they don’t show up.

“Stop assuming I’m uncomfortable.”

Maggie nods once. “Okay. Just making sure.”

Alex opens her mouth to apologise for snapping, but the elevator doors open as she does. The other occupants file out of the elevator and head towards the music in the ballroom down the hallway. This time, it’s Alex who boldly takes Maggie’s hand, and begins to follow the others.

The ballroom is large, which in Alex’s books is a good thing, because there are plenty of places for them to hide. There’s no sign of Lillian, but she spots Maxwell the moment she walks in. He’s standing by the bar, as if he’s guarding the drinks. Since alcohol will likely be her only form of escape tonight, Alex isn’t entirely happy about it.

Maggie seems to notice Maxwell too, because the frown she exhibits couldn't have been from anything else. Alex lets go of Maggie’s hand and wraps her arm around the woman’s waist in an almost protective manner. She's becoming more confident with her actions, and she knows it'll both appease Maggie and (hopefully) keep Maxwell at bay.

“Since drinks are off the table at the moment… You wanna dance?”

The question catches Alex off-guard, but the offer hangs in the air as Maggie gives her an inviting smile. It’s not a joke, and it doesn’t even seem like she’s asking as a part of the job. It seems genuine. “Yeah.” Alex nods, before realising her answer is far too casual than she’d like. “I mean, it’ll be good. For keeping up appearances and everything.”

Maggie nods, but the smirk that’s on her face suggests that she doesn’t buy a single word of what Alex is saying. Her excuses aren’t going to work on Maggie for much longer. If they ever worked to begin with. Maggie reaches out for Alex’s hand, waiting for her to take it before tugging her gently to the dancefloor.

Alex assumes a safe and easy position, with her hands at Maggie’s waist. Maggie takes the opportunity to get closer to her, wrapping her arms around Alex’s neck. The action causes goosebumps to rise on Alex’s skin, and since a lot of it was on display, she’s sure that Maggie notices.

Maggie must know that Alex feels some sort of attraction towards her. What confuses Alex is why she hasn’t pointed it out yet. Especially after the comment about her sexuality, which is still playing on her mind.

There's soft music playing, which gives them something to work with. Alex isn't much of a dancer, unless you count the many clubs she went to during her wilder days. However, in their position, surrounded by a bunch of other people, it doesn't need to be complicated.

She doesn’t remember the last time she was this close to someone. She can feel the warmth of Maggie’s body against hers, and despite previous reservations, Maggie isn’t too bad at this.

“Is he watching us?” Alex asks, knowing that Maggie is facing in Maxwell’s direction.

It takes a moment for her to reply as she looks over Alex’s shoulder. “Yeah. But don’t worry, you’re doing great.” Maggie pulls back so she can look at her. “You ever danced before?”

Alex chuckles, because just the thought sounds ridiculous. “Not really. I mean… unless you count my dad when I was like seven.”

Maggie looks at her with interest. “You’ve never mentioned your family.”

“Neither have you.”

Maggie chuckles. “Touché.”

“I have a sister who lives back in the city. Her name is Kara. We’re pretty close.” Alex nods. The wildly protective side of her is itching to pick up her phone and see how she is, but knowing it could jeopardise the mission, she pushes the thought out of her head. “It’s just me, Kara and my mom. My dad died when I was younger.”

Maggie frowns. “I’m sorry, Alex.”

“Yeah.” Alex nods again. “He was a good man. The reason why I became an agent, actually. He was one, too.”

Maggie smiles gently. She pulls back one of her hands from behind Alex’s neck and plays with a piece of her hair affectionately. “I’m sure you’ve made him really proud.”

Alex smiles as they turn. Now she’s the one facing Maxwell, and Alex lets out a groan of frustration. “He’s still watching us. He’s disgusting.”

Maggie stares at Alex. “Don’t worry about him. I have an idea.”

Alex looks at her.

“Can I kiss you?”

The question is immediately followed by silence. Not silence in the room, but as if every part of Alex’s brain went quiet all at once.

Alex nods quickly before swallowing, feeling the nerves bubble up in her stomach.

It scares her that she doesn’t hesitate. It scares her when she realises that this is something she’s been _craving_ ever since this whole thing started. She didn’t know how much she wanted it until now. She wants Maggie Sawyer to kiss her. She doesn't remember the last time she wanted someone to kiss her. She doesn't remember if she’s _ever_ wanted someone to kiss her who actually wanted to kiss her back.

But then there's Maggie, who seems to be breaking down barriers one at a time, until there's nothing left but an exposed heart and empty lungs.

Maggie smiles sweetly, and there's something about it that makes Alex feel at ease. She makes her feel comfortable, and honesty, Alex isn't sure how she does it. It's effortless.

Maggie moves slowly, using her leverage at Alex’s neck to guide Alex’s face towards hers. Mostly because, at this point, Alex isn't able to move on her own.

When their lips touch, Alex freezes. Not because she's suddenly changed her mind, but the complete opposite. She's never felt a surge like this before. Suddenly, the only people in the room are her and Maggie, and her head is spinning in a way it never has before. Maggie is softer than she ever thought possible, and there's a surprising amount of self control stopping her from deepening the kiss.

She wants more, and at this point, she doesn't even care who sees it and what it may mean.

Maggie is the one that breaks them apart, because Alex is sure she could keep going for much, much longer. However, the dancefloor of a ballroom surrounded by plenty of potential workmates really isn’t the place for that.

Maggie almost looks shocked when their eyes meet. Neither of them had been expecting Alex’s level of enthusiasm. “Wow, Alex.”

“Sarah,” Alex corrects her. She’s not sure she wants Maggie to think that it was entirely _Alex_ who was kissing her, not in character whatsoever.

However, she can tell instantly that Maggie doesn’t buy it. “Right. Sarah. I thought you would have an issue with… that.”

Alex swallows again, shaking her head. “No. I mean, it’s just a kiss, right?”

Their faces are still close together, and Alex knows Maggie can see that her eyes keep darting towards her lips. It’s not just a kiss. There are a million little strings attached, and once again, Maggie doesn’t address it. It’s not like being with a guy, where she’s forced to talka bout her feelings the minute she’s showed them. She doesn’t push Alex. She’s patient.

“Just a kiss, Danvers.”

Alex doesn’t bother to correct her this time.

\------

When Alex is kissing her again a little while later, she realises that it’s _definitely_ not ‘just’ anything.

In Alex’s defence, Maxwell _was_ watching them, and had been for the entire night. Even once they had moved off the dancefloor to the side of the room to take a break. At that point, they had also spotted Lillian across the room. Alex knows that she could have definitely found a better way to show off their relationship instead of pulling Maggie towards her and accosting her, but she doesn’t seem to mind one bit.

Maggie’s lips linger on hers for much longer than necessary, and this time, their tongues have somehow made their way into the mix. Despite it being unexpected, Alex feels a fire coursing through her that she doesn’t want to tame. When they finally do pull away from each other, Maggie is breathless, and once again, noticeably surprised.

“Y’know, Danvers,” Maggie breathes, “If I knew we were going to be doing this, I would’ve popped a few mints before we came down here.”

Alex dismisses her with a wave of her hand as she looks towards Maxwell. “You’re fine.” Divine, actually. Probably the best kisser she’s ever encountered. But she can’t tell Maggie that. They can’t make this more than what it is.

“Either way, I think he got the message.”

Alex watches as Maxwell finally stops watching them and wanders away from the bar. Alex lets out a sigh of relief. “Finally. We’ve been sober for way too long.”

Maggie chuckles, taking Alex’s hand as she leads her towards the bar. They each grab a glass of champagne and sit back, surveying the crowd. Everyone around them looks incredibly sophisticated, and Alex wonders just how many of these people know that what they’re doing with Lillian would likely ruin lives and not save them. She wonders if any of them _actually_ care about anything besides the money Lillian is probably offering them.

Alex can feel Maggie’s eyes on her again, but this time, it’s for an entirely different reason. They’re not searching like they had been before they got here. Now, they’re curious. Almost affectionate. Most likely regarding the kiss Alex _really_ shouldn’t have gotten so involved in. She knows it’s good for the case, but it’s really _not_ good for her head. She’s confused enough as it is without adding these complications into the mix.

Maggie laughs quietly. “You feeling better?” When Alex turns towards her, she nods towards the champagne glass in her hand which is already empty. “I didn’t realise you were so anxious about tonight.”

Alex lets out a breath, before shrugging. She feels like she can be a little more honest with Maggie now. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she just kissed her in a ballroom full of people. “I was, I guess. This really isn’t the kind of case I’m used to. Even undercover.”

Maggie nods. “You’re doing great. We might actually pull this thing off.” She pauses for a moment, searching Alex’s eyes. “I just want you to know that if you’re feeling stressed, you can talk to me about it.”

Alex bites her lip. “I guess... I am still feeling stressed. There’s just a lot on my mind. I think this case has just taken a lot out of me.”

Maggie smiles, angling her body towards Alex. The way she looks at her is almost intense, as if somebody could be set on fire and her attention would still be on Alex. “Talk to me, Danvers.”

Alex opens her mouth to speak, but closes it again when she spots movement over Maggie’s shoulder. She straightens up when she sees it’s Lillian heading towards them. Maggie notices the instant change in her demeanor and turns her head.

“Dr. Luthor.” Maggie greets her with a nod of her head, and Alex gives her a sickly sweet smile that they both know isn’t real.

“Dr. McAlister, Ms. Reed. Maxwell informed me that you two had arrived.” She looks between the two of them, and it makes Alex feel anxious. “I hope you two are enjoying yourselves.”

Alex looks at Maggie, wondering _what else_ Maxwell had told her. “We are, Dr. Luthor. Thank you for inviting  us.”

“Well, I must admit I have ulterior motives for inviting you tonight. I wanted to invite you both to breakfast tomorrow to discuss business.”

Breakfast? That’s new. Honestly, Alex had been having a hard time believing that they were fooling Lillian, but she still seems to be Sarah McAlister in her eyes. Alex looks to Maggie for a moment before nodding towards Lillian. “We’d love to.”

Lillian smiles again. “Good. I will see you tomorrow at seven.” She gives them both a quick look once more before turning around and leaving them as quickly as she appeared.

As soon as she’s gone, Alex calls the bartender over again. She’s going to need a stronger drink if she’s going to be able to handle the rest of the night. Maggie’s only looking at her for a brief moment before she scoffs.

“Of course.”

Alex looks over to see Max walking across the ballroom towards them. Knowing him, he’s probably been watching them the entire time. It reminds Alex that they can’t slack off for a single moment, even when they think they’re alone.

“Hello, ladies.” Max drawls when he stops in front of them. “I just came over to say that your little display back there was very charming.”

Maggie’s demeanor changes entirely, and Alex can't blame her. “And what display would that be?”

“I know you two are just pretending to be a couple. None of my theories as to _why_ have been proven just yet, but I'm sure we'll get there.” He smiles sweetly, and it takes everything in Alex not to punch him in the nose.

Maggie rolls her eyes. “I'm surprised you haven't made your boss aware of your concerns.”

“Oh, I have.” This information causes Alex to tense. “However, I think you might actually have the woman fooled.”

“It would be just like an egotistical asshole such as yourself to think he's smarter than a female scientist. You're only angry because you were rejected.”

Max turns towards Maggie, and so does Alex. She wasn’t aware there was such a protective fire within Maggie. “I wasn’t aware that I had been rejected.”

Maggie holds his gaze. “Considering your attitude, I’d assume you’d be used to it.”

Max chuckles. “My attitude is generally the reason they come back for more.”

Maggie opens her mouth, but before she can speak, Alex stands up off her stool. Her heels make her much closer to Maxwell’s height. “If I didn’t make it clear last time, I have a girlfriend. I don’t appreciate being called a liar, especially when it comes to the person that I love.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “I would tell you to go find somebody else, but I wouldn’t wish that on any poor woman that crosses your path.”

Maggie tries to hide her smile by biting her lip. “By all means, come back for more. We’d love a round three.”

Max straightens up, his face remaining impassive. It takes him a long moment to say anything. Alex can see his pride falling away, and it’s far too satisfying. “I will leave you ladies to it.”

By the time Maxwell has walked away, Maggie is smiling at her. “Look at _you_ , Danvers. You shut him down and managed to maintain cover. I’m impressed.”

“See? I don’t need you to protect me.”

Maggie shakes her head. “I never thought you did.”

Alex looks at her. “Thank you, though. I wasn’t appreciative of it last time but I am now. Things seem to work a lot better when we’re a team.”

“Well… we _do_ make a great team.”

Alex nods, and a rare grin flashing onto her face. “And… it’s nice to have someone sticking up for me.” She’s starting to think that her boss _really_ knew what he was talking about when he paired them together.

Maggie’s smile only grows at Alex’s. “Any time, Alex. That’s what I’m here for.”

\------

“You know, we didn’t get to finish talking earlier.” Maggie points out, tilting her head as she watches Alex from the doorway.

At first, Alex isn’t quite sure what Maggie has said. She’s starting to wonder if she needs some sort of warning signal for whenever Maggie exits the bathroom, because it seems to knock the breath out of her every time. Maggie’s dressed in a t-shirt that’s clearly too big for her, and Alex could’ve sworn she wasn’t wearing anything underneath if she hadn’t seen a glimpse of boxer shorts. Her hair is still damp, which somehow manages to make her look even more attractive.

The entire outfit manages to swallow her small frame whole, and Alex isn’t sure if she’s excited or nervous about having to share the same bed as her.

“Alex?” Maggie asks again, raising an eyebrow. “You okay over there?”

Alex nods quickly. “Yeah, right. Talking.” She bites her lip. Somehow she found it much easier to talk in a less intimate setting. Any bravery she had in that ballroom has quickly passed and she now finds herself in silence with Maggie.

At this point, she knows the silence can only be filled by two things. The second option, although appealing to the part of her brain that’s responding to her feelings for Maggie, isn’t something she’s ready to explore. Talking seems to be the only thing she can do.

Maggie pulls back the blankets on her side of the bed, before pausing, and looking back up at Alex again. “Last chance for me to take the couch.” An amused smile crosses her face. “Once I’m comfortable, I don’t plan on moving.”

It’s a bed. It really shouldn’t be causing Alex’s heart to somersault. “No. It’s fine.” Except, she doesn’t look Maggie in the eye when she says it.

“ _Something_ isn’t, though.” Maggie holds her gaze for much longer than necessary before climbing into the bed. Once she’s comfortably under the covers, she props herself up on her elbow to look at Alex again. “I get that we don’t really know each other, but I want you to feel like you can talk to me.”

It’s not that she doesn’t trust Maggie, or that she isn’t comfortable around her. After only one day of being her partner, she knows Maggie is good at what she does. Not only that, but Maggie is considerate of her feelings. She’s sure it wouldn’t be the same if she was matched with a male partner.

Although, if she had been matched with a male partner, she certainly wouldn’t be feeling this way about them.

Alex slowly crawls onto the bed. It’s large, so there’s a decent amount of space between them, but just _being_ close to Maggie makes her heart race. She can’t deny that there’s something there. It’s not even a spark, it’s more of a jolt that knocks her off balance every time it hits her. What that actually _means_ for her, she doesn’t know. All she knows is that she should probably take advantage of this fake couple opportunity while it lasts.

“I’m just… glad you were the one chosen to be my partner.” Alex nods. She’s not used to feeling so exposed. In all honesty, she hates it. “I don’t think many other people would be quite so understanding.”

Maggie shifts to get more comfortable. “You’re really not bad at this, Danvers. Don’t sell yourself short.”

Alex almost hates that she's being complimented by a woman who is quite possibly the most adorable person she’s ever come across. And a huge part of her can’t believe she’s in bed with said person.

Maggie continues, “I just want to know if you’re okay.”

Alex nods. “I’m okay.” She is, really. It’s nothing she can’t handle, and she won’t let it jeopardise the mission in any way. Watching Maggie for another moment, she pulls back the blankets on her side and tucks herself under them. When she lies down, she realises she’s not as far away from Maggie as she originally thought. Not only that, but it feels like every word that leaves Maggie’s mouth is only pulling her closer.

“And... I hope that everything I did tonight was okay.”

Alex’s mind immediately goes to the kiss they had shared. Or, kiss _es_. In the moment it seemed necessary, and maybe it was to maintain their cover, but now all Alex can feel is confusion and anxiety over it. However, she decides now is not the time to stress over it. There is a beautiful woman lying next to her, and that occupies just about the entirety of her brain.

Alex smiles. A blush creeps up her cheeks, mostly out of embarrassment. “I’ve encountered worse kissers, Sawyer. I’ll give you that.”

Maggie laughs, her dimples showing. “So have I.”

Biting her lip, Alex finds she can’t stop looking at her. The more she looks, she more dangerous it is for her. Alex would like to think she has a lot of self control, but she’s realised that tends to go out the window whenever Maggie is involved.

“It’s just… it’s been a while.” Alex tilts her head towards the bed, hoping that Maggie catches on to her meaning. Honestly, she barely remembers the last time she shared a bed with someone.

Maggie reaches over with her free hand, grabbing one of Alex’s which is lying between them. She laces their fingers together, and Alex guesses it’s instinctual, but it doesn’t help that her whole body heats up because of it.

“Alex, you’re safe with me.” Maggie squeezes her hand, not breaking the eye contact between them. “I may just be a stranger to you, but… you’re safe. I promise.”

Alex believes her. It usually takes her ten times as long to even _begin_ trusting someone, but with Maggie it’s almost effortless. She’s also slightly biased, considering the attraction she currently feels towards her. Her lips turn upwards slightly. “Thank you.”

Maggie’s smile is double the size of her own. It’s a sleepy one, and Alex can notice she’s tired just by the tone of her voice. “You’re welcome.”

They stare at each other for a long moment, neither of them making a move to break the contact between them. Eventually, Alex dozes off, and the last thing she remembers feeling is the warmth of Maggie’s hand in her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this entire chapter planned out start to finish and then the Valentine’s Day photo was released. Great minds think alike?
> 
> Catch me on [Tumblr](http://alexmaggie.tumblr.com).


	3. Three

The next morning, Alex wakes to the smell of Maggie’s hair.

In hindsight, it could’ve been a lot worse. They aren’t on top of each other, at the very least.

Their position is mostly innocent. The two of them had just somehow gravitated towards each other during the night, and ended up meeting halfway. They’re not properly holding hands anymore, but Alex can still feel the warmth of Maggie’s palm beneath her fingertips. Maggie is all but curled up against Alex’s side, her nose pressed against her shoulder.

It would almost be cute if they were an actual couple, and once Alex remembers they are, she feels the panic rise in her body.

She doesn’t have time to think of a strategic move to make, because Maggie wakes almost as quickly as she does. However, the look on her sleepy face is one of amusement, which beats all the negative scenarios that Alex had built up in her head. She’s not angry or uncomfortable. Instead, she’s looking up at her with warm, dark eyes, and it’s a very tempting sight.

“I’m sorry,” Maggie says, but she makes no attempt to move from her spot, and her apology doesn’t even seem sincere. Even her eyes suggest she’s being flirty, and Alex is sure her brain has ceased functioning.

Alex is nervous, her heart threatening to burst out of her chest. “It’s… it’s not your fault.” It was always going to happen. Alex should’ve realised that sooner. If she can’t control her attraction to Maggie while conscious, she really has no hope when she’s asleep and unaware of her actions.

“Relax, Danvers. It happens.” Before Alex knows it, Maggie has moved and the warmth she provided only lingers on Alex’s body. She must have sensed her discomfort, even if it wasn’t aimed directly at Maggie or the situation. “Trust me, I’ve been pressed up against worse people.”

Alex only realises she’s ruined the moment when it’s too late. She feels flushed just from the contact, but the heat on her cheeks is only growing hotter at the embarrassment. She tries to sit up. “I—”

When Maggie turns to face her, she has her usual kind smile. “It’s okay. We have a breakfast to get to.”

Alex doesn’t want things to be weird between them. She didn’t  _ expect _ things to be weird between them. But Maggie seems to have shut down any and all attempts at communication, so she doesn’t have much of a choice. Unless she does. Without thinking, she reaches forward, grabbing Maggie’s hand.

Maggie freezes, her head snapping back towards Alex. She clearly wasn’t expecting it, but to be fair, neither was Alex.

Alex wants to tug on her hand and just pull her back into bed. Regardless of what it may mean for either of them. She wants the warmth and safety that Maggie provides her. The sense of comfort that she hasn’t felt in so long. She craves Maggie’s presence, and if she could skip breakfast and spend the day alone with her, she probably would. She wants to forget they have a mission and get to know  _ her _ as a person. Feeling a new sense of boldness, Alex lifts herself up onto her knees, edging her way closer to where Maggie is standing. 

“You don’t have to be sorry.” It’s all Alex says, and it’s all she needs to say, because she knows Maggie picks up on her meaning.

“No?” Her smile becomes one of amusement again, and Alex should’ve known that she would easily diffuse the tension in the room. She doesn’t have to worry about things being strange for long. “I am a  _ very _ good cuddler.”

Alex chuckles lightly. “I’m sure you are, Sawyer.”

They’re still holding hands, and Alex is sure that if somebody hadn’t knocked on the door in that moment, nothing would’ve stopped her from dragging Maggie down to kiss her.

So, Alex is thanking whoever this person with incredibly good timing is. She really needs to start controlling her urges.

Maggie releases her hand and goes to answer the door. She doesn’t seem to mind that she’s still only wearing a t-shirt and boxers, and Alex thinks it’s rather adorable that she has to stand on her toes to see through the peephole. 

Maggie turns back around to face Alex. “You should go take a shower. I’ll handle this.”

Alex wonders if it could be Lillian, but she slips out of bed and follows Maggie’s instructions anyway. Before she closes the bathroom door, she hears Maxwell’s voice, and she’s suddenly grateful for Maggie’s advice. Sure, she could easily take on that slime if she wanted to, but that would require an amount of energy she just doesn’t have before her morning coffee. 

Besides, she’s becoming more and more comfortable with accepting Maggie’s help. Alex likes when she stands up for her, which is certainly a foreign feeling.

Before she turns the shower on, she can hear them arguing on the other side of the wall. The conversation isn’t long, and the door shuts soon after. As she’s stepping into the shower, Maggie knocks on the door to tell her that his visit wasn’t anything important, which doesn’t surprise Alex in the slightest. 

However, it’s a good thing, because the last thing Alex wants is another distraction. She needs to focus on getting into character if they’re going to continue their charade down at breakfast with Lillian. This could be the make or break for them, and Alex refuses to be the one who ruins it for them. She just hopes that Maxwell doesn’t decide to join them.

\-----

Once they get down to breakfast, Lillian is already sitting there waiting for them. It’s ominous, and Alex feels like this is a much more important meeting than they were led to believe. Maggie slips her arm around Alex’s back as they walk into the dining room. It’s early, so there isn’t as many people out and about, which was probably Lillian’s plan the entire time. By now, the nerves of meeting with Lillian have subsided somewhat, and Alex is almost used to her withering stare.

Lillian greets them as they’re seated, and Maggie turns to give Alex a look, probably assessing if she’s going to freak out again like last time. However, Alex remains calm, her gaze fixated on Lillian. She knows Lillian will drag out this breakfast for as long as possible, in order to make them both as uncomfortable as possible, but Alex refuses to be fazed by it.

Plus, she’s starving. So, the more chance she gets to eat, the better. Also, Maxwell is nowhere to be seen. So, it really could be worse.

“I called you down here this morning to discuss a position available at my lab in New York.” Lillian stares at Alex. “We are doing top-secret work in my facility and there can be absolutely no leaks. If you accept the position, you will go on a trial run, to see if you are trustworthy. I believe your work and level of expertise will be an asset to us and our project, Dr. McAlister.”

Alex raises her eyebrows. She hadn’t been expecting a job offer so easily. She keeps the suspicion she feels in the back of her mind, because she’s more interested in this being the opening they need to expose her.

“I would love to work for your company, Dr. Luthor. I’ve admired your work for many years now, and I’m interested to see what I’d be working on.”

Lillian smiles. “I’m sure you’ll be quite impressed with our advancements. I would discuss it with you here, but…” She looks around. “This isn’t a secure environment. And besides, it’s something I have to  _ show _ you.”

“I’m definitely looking forward to it.” Alex nods. It’s then she notices that Maggie hasn’t said a word, and she narrows her eyes as she looks towards Lillian again. “What about my assistant? I don’t think you would want to put me on your staff if I wasn’t capable of doing my best work. Ms. Reed knows me best, and it would be detrimental to not have her with me.”

“If your… assistant is a part of the package, then yes, we will be happy to hire her as well.” Lillian nods, looking towards Maggie. “If you both pass the trial, that is.”

Maggie reaches over, placing a hand on Alex’s thigh underneath the table. As much as she knows it’s in-character, Alex is just glad she’s wearing pants so Maggie won’t see the goosebumps rising on her legs.

“So, do we have a deal?” Lillian looks between the two of them. “You can come by the lab on Wednesday, and we can begin your trial. If all goes well, you could be working for us by the coming week.”

Alex knows they’ll have to stick it out for the trial run to figure out exactly what Lillian is doing at her lab. Once they know for sure, they’ll have Lillian right where they want her, and it should be easy for the FBI to swoop in and take her into custody. Alex is almost surprised by how well they’re doing, so she definitely doesn’t want to jinx it now.

“We have a deal, Dr. Luthor.” Alex nods. She looks towards Maggie and shares a smile with her. “We’ll see you on Wednesday.”

Lillian looks pleased, which is all Alex really wanted from this conversation. The happier Lillian is, the less work Alex has to do to keep up this ruse. “Fantastic. I will make sure to send you the address of our lab before then. We look forward to having you as a part of our team.” Reaching over the table, Lillian offers her hand to Alex.

Alex takes her hand, giving it a firm shake. “The pleasure is all ours.”

The remainder of their meeting is much more casual, and even Alex finds herself relaxing. Thankfully, Maggie is always touching her in order to remind her that she’s putting on an act. Whether it’s her hand on her thigh or her arm around the back of her chair, Maggie is always close to her. However, the lines are blurred, because she really doesn’t know if this is Maggie or Anna Reed’s doing.

She is momentarily distracted from that thought by the food that arrives at their table. She notices that it’s the first time Maggie hasn’t been touching her for the entire time they’ve been sitting there. Her mind goes back to the hotel room, and how she easily could’ve kissed her before Maxwell knocked on the door. They have begun to cross lines that they shouldn’t cross, and now Alex isn’t sure what’s real and what isn’t.

Also, it bothers her that her main thought throughout this entire mission has been her feelings for Maggie, and not potentially catching a criminal mastermind. However, she can’t help but feel safer whenever Maggie so much as looks at her.

As breakfast is winding down, Lillian tells them that she doesn’t require them for the rest of the day, so they’re free to do as they please. Maggie suggests exploring the city, accompanied by a ‘babe’ and a kiss on the cheek for effect. Once Lillian has promptly left them, it just leaves Alex and Maggie sitting alone at the table, Maggie brushing over the back of Alex’s hand with her thumb.

“If that was all too much, you can tell me.” Maggie tilts her head. “I’m capable of turning it down a notch, you know.”

“No!” Alex shakes her head quickly. “No, it was fine. Absolutely. I’m just… wondering if she’s getting suspicious or not.” It’s only really a half-lie, because that had been at the back of her mind the entire time. However, the majority of her thoughts consisted of how she was going to get back to her regular life after this when all she wants to do was kiss Maggie.

Maggie looks towards the door where Lillian had exited moments before. “I don’t think so. She wouldn’t have offered you the job if she was suspicious.” She gives Alex’s hand a squeeze. “I think it’s just your mind playing tricks on you.”

Alex nods again, her gaze travelling down towards their hands. “Yeah. Probably.”

Maggie doesn’t leave her much room to think, because before Alex knows it, she’s jumping out of her seat. “So, come on. We have a city to explore, don’t we?”

\------

There are many things that Kara Danvers doesn’t expect from Lena Luthor.

She almost sees her as royalty. Completely untouchable. Especially when it comes to lowly reporters such as herself. It just doesn’t make sense for the two of them to interact in a casual way.

So, it’s more of a surprise to Kara than anyone else that she’s currently sitting across a table from Lena Luthor having brunch.

She doesn’t even remember how the meeting came about. They had spoken on the phone a couple of times since the interview. They were mostly brief conversations, and were based around business and work. Kara hadn’t thought much of them, but clearly Lena had. That morning, she gets a phone call from Lena saying she’d like to see her, and the next thing she knows, she’s scribbling down the address of a cafe she knows is  _ completely _ out of her price range.

Once they’re sitting across from each other, Lena is giving her this look, and she’s not quite sure what it all means.

“Were you, um…” She pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Were you wanting to talk about the article? Because I haven’t written it yet. I mean, I’m not even sure if my boss is going to  _ like _ it, so...”

“No, Kara.” Lena laughs, shaking her head. It’s the first time she’s used her first name and it almost seems like it should be a mistake. “I’m not here for business.”

“Oh.” Kara furrows her eyebrows. “Then, I don’t understand…”

“I was just hoping to have some company for brunch. I hope that’s okay. I guess I could’ve made that a little clearer on the phone.” Lena frowns.

Kara’s eyebrows then shoot upwards. “ _ Oh. _ ” It suddenly hits her that Lena probably doesn’t have that many people to talk to. At least, in a social sense. Kara has been known to be particularly chatty, and she wonders if she came off that way during their interview. “No, I shouldn’t have assumed this was about business.”

Lena shakes her head. “If you’re uncomfortable, you’re more than welcome to leave.”

If Kara’s being honest, she feels a lot more relaxed knowing this has nothing to do with work. “No, I’m… I mean, you could’ve just said something. I’m just wondering… why me? I mean, we’ve only spoken a couple of times.”

Lena chuckles. “Well, I think you’re the first journalist, or even  _ person _ , I’ve come across who wasn’t trying to attack me for being a Luthor. And you didn’t even mention Lex, which was refreshing. Plus, I don’t get to interact with many women my age that often, and... I don’t know, it sounds silly when I say it out loud.”

Kara shakes her head. “No, I understand. We’re always drawn to people who treat us the way we want to be treated.”

Lena smiles. “I guess so.” There’s a light flush to her cheeks that makes it seem like she’s embarrassed by the whole thing, and Kara finds it endearing. She never thought she’d be seeing Lena Luthor blush. “I’ve been thinking a lot since we spoke. About how my family has taken a lot away from me. You never really know how much something is damaging you until you’re free from it.”

Kara tilts her head as she listens to her speak. There are clearly a lot of demons she has built up over time, but there’s a good person underneath it all. It’s not like Lena herself has done anything wrong. All she’s done is run her family’s company and mind her own business. She feels bad for her, but that certainly isn’t the reason why she’s having a meal with her. There’s something there that intrigues her. Something that goes much further than her keen eye for a good story.

Lena looks down with a light chuckle. “I’m not one to assume, but I suppose you can’t relate to that.”

Kara smiles. “Not quite. However, I... was adopted.”

Lena’s eyes snap back to hers. “You were?”

“Yeah. My parents died when I was younger, and I was adopted by the Danvers. And… as much as I miss my real parents, I can’t imagine what my life would’ve been like if they weren’t my family.” Kara knows she would be an entirely different person without Alex, Eliza and Jeremiah. Despite Kara having a different experience from Lena, they do share common ground, which isn’t something she was expecting.

“I’m glad it worked out for you, Kara.”

Kara smiles. “It’s going to work out for you, too. Just because it takes a little longer, doesn’t mean it won’t happen. And I know how it feels to be lonely, so… if you need a friend, I’m here.”

An amused smile crosses Lena’s lips. “Even though I made you hang out with me today?”

Kara almost scoffs. “Please. It’s my pleasure.” They stare at each other for a little too long before Kara speaks again. “And besides, one thing you’ll learn about me is that I love to eat, so you’ve already found the way to my heart.”

Lena laughs, taking the menu in her hands. “Noted.”

Kara feels a blush of her own creeping up her neck. If she wasn’t nervous around Lena Luthor in a professional setting, then she’s  _ definitely _ nervous in a personal one. Not only that, but she’s really not sure what she’s gotten herself into as she decides to be friends with the daughter of a known criminal.  _ Especially _ when Alex didn’t know a single thing about it.

\------

It should be absolutely normal. Two people walking down the street in a city they’re spending the weekend in. Two co-workers who have time to kill are spending the day together. Free from any kind of work-related responsibilities they may have. That’s all it is. That’s all it should be.

Except, they’re holding hands, and at first, Alex doesn’t even notice. So, it’s not really normal at all.

They end up acting coupley all day. In a store, where Maggie makes Alex try on a bunch of beanies (and she enjoys it). At lunch, where Maggie gives her the eyes across the table (and Alex sends them right back). During their walk, when Alex compliments her and she’s rewarded with a kiss on the cheek (and her cheek burns for half an hour afterwards).

At first, Alex is more than willing to blame it all on Maggie. She would be happy to say that Maggie has gotten far too comfortable in this ‘fake’ relationship they have going, but that would be an outright lie. Alex is just as much of a participant as Maggie, and she doesn’t even have an excuse for it.

Alex doesn’t even know how to act like she’s in a relationship with someone, but somehow, she’s doing it. Well enough to convince a criminal mastermind. Not only that, but she’s pretty sure that a part of her subconscious is convinced as well. 

Despite the panic she’s feeling, there’s also an unusual amount of calm. It feels comfortable with Maggie. Natural. Like they could walk down the street anywhere holding hands and it would actually make sense. It wasn’t clear to her at first, but it’s almost like a puzzle piece has slotted into place without her realising. She has been so caught up with the job at hand, that she hasn’t really stopped to think that her personal life is going to be entirely different when she returns home. 

A part of her wants to hold on to the uncomplicated bliss of a fake relationship for just a little while longer. The feelings are real, but reality is much too frightening for her to face head-on. At least, not right now.

They get back to the hotel room sometime in the late afternoon. They’re both exhausted and agree that room service would the best and only way to spend their last night in Boston. It’s all rather innocent at first. They eat early, and Maggie orders a couple of bottles of wine and Alex can feel herself slowly unwinding.

Neither of them drink all that much, just enough to feel light. They’re not exactly allowed to be drunk on the job anyway, even if everything she’s doing with Maggie doesn’t feel like work.

Eventually, they’re both laying back against the headboard. A rerun of some crime show is playing on low volume, but Maggie’s laughter at something Alex says is what fills the room.

Once it dies down, she turns towards Alex. “Aren’t you kinda bummed that we have to go back to reality tomorrow?”

Alex is. Of course she is, but she won’t say it out loud. “Well…  _ technically _ we still have a trial run with Lillian to get through.”

“True.” Maggie sighs before looking at Alex. “Seriously though, this is the most fun I’ve had on the job in a long time. Not sure I could’ve asked for a better partner.”

‘A proper lesbian’ is the first thing that comes to mind, but she doesn’t really feel like that applies anymore. Alex turns to her and smiles. “I’m glad my company wasn’t all terrible, Sawyer.”

Maggie smiles back. “Definitely not terrible, Danvers.”

They stare at each other for a long moment, and Alex knows the small amount of alcohol in her system is making her feel bold. It takes all the willpower she has left to stay completely still. However, Maggie doesn’t seem to be shying away at all.

“You think we’re gonna see each other again when this is all over?” Maggie asks, and it’s then Alex realises just how close she is. It would take next to no effort to close the gap between them, and it becomes more tempting with each passing second.

“Is this your way of asking for my number?” Alex asks, a soft smile appearing on her lips.

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the pleasure of my company,” Maggie teases in response, giving Alex a lazy smile of her own.

Alex notices the exact moment that Maggie’s eyes drop to her lips. Alex also knows that she doesn’t have to reciprocate whatsoever, but she wants to. She always wants to.

It’s slow, as if all time around them has suddenly stopped. It’s slow enough so that either of them can pull away if they want to. Both of them have the time to think about the decision they’re going to make. Despite that, it doesn’t change the outcome whatsoever.

Maggie’s kissing her first. It’s gentle and languid, and all Alex can think about is how  _ soft _ she is. She’s never kissed anyone as soft as Maggie, and she knows she would be hard pressed to find someone who’s as  _ good _ as she is. Her hand is against Alex’s cheek, and she knows it’s a lot more than the alcohol in her system telling her that she wants her hands in many other places.

The kiss slowly becomes more intense, and before Alex knows it, Maggie’s asking if she can move closer and she quickly lets her. Eventually, Maggie climbs up into Alex’s lap and she accommodates her. Maggie’s thighs rest on either side of her hips, and Alex holds her in place. Her hands slide up Maggie’s thighs and underneath the t-shirt she’s wearing. Maggie lets out a soft gasp into her mouth when Alex’s hands come into contact with the bare skin of her abdomen.

Maggie’s lips soon leave Alex’s, leaving Alex breathless and very flustered. The moment doesn’t last long, however, as Maggie chooses to move her lips to Alex’s neck instead. Alex thinks she’s died and gone to some sort of heaven as she tilts her head back to rest against the headboard. There is a beautiful woman in her lap who’s kissing her neck and she’s quite sure she wants nothing else for the rest of her life.

Alex’s heart is racing, and Maggie doesn’t make it any easier when her teeth graze lightly against her pulse point, causing Alex’s entire body to erupt in goosebumps. Without even thinking, Alex’s hands move further up Maggie’s shirt, feeling the soft outline of her abdominal muscles beneath her fingertips. She’s so smooth and  _ warm _ , and there’s not much stopping Alex from giving into the feelings Maggie presents her with.

She’s lost track of the amount of her skin Maggie’s lips have touched. It’s making her feel dizzy, and when she feels the hint of Maggie’s hips rolling against hers, an entire shockwave courses through her body.

“Maggie,” Alex murmurs, suddenly feeling the panic rise in her body. Her mind is finally catching up to what’s happening, and she realises that it’s way too fast. She can’t do this. Not now.

Maggie pulls away immediately, looking directly at Alex. “Are you okay?”

Alex shakes her head. “We shouldn’t do this. Not like this… Not when I’m…” She shakes her head again. “I’m sorry.”

“Alex, no.” Maggie frowns. “I started this,  _ I’m  _ sorry. We don’t have to do anything. Of course we don’t.” She reaches up slowly, tucking Alex’s hair behind her ear. “I got too carried away, it’s my fault.”

Maggie’s far too sweet for her own good, and it’s causing Alex’s heart to clench. “It’s nobody’s fault, Maggie, I’m just… I’m not ready for this.” God, how can she be? She hasn’t even faced the question of her sexuality yet, and already she’s diving into the deep end.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Maggie’s voice is gentle, and Alex can see she’s trying to search her eyes. “Please don’t be sorry.” She looks concerned for a brief moment before speaking again. “I should’ve stepped in when I realised it was heading in this direction. The last thing I want to do is hurt you or make you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t, Maggie. Don’t beat yourself up.” Alex shakes her head. Alex had wanted it just as much as Maggie did (and she still does), but it’s her responsibility to be in control of her own actions. She’s just glad she found it in herself to stop it before it was too late. The last thing she wanted to do was ever regret something she did with Maggie. If something ever did happen, she would want it to be the  _ right _ way.

Maggie sighs, and Alex can tell that it’s because she’s frustrated with herself. Only Maggie Sawyer could blame herself for something that Alex had done. She finally climbs off of Alex’s lap and returns to her previous position next to her. At least she isn’t pulling away and withdrawing herself completely. That’s a plus in Alex’s book.

Alex reaches over, taking Maggie’s hand in hers. She doesn’t want Maggie to think that she scared her off. She’s slightly embarrassed, but that’s really all it is. Maggie doesn’t pull away.

Despite the fact that Maggie’s mood had clearly been brought down, it doesn’t change her outward demeanour. She chuckles lightly, and it causes Alex to turn and look at her. “Are you hungry? ‘Cause I might be. Again.”

Alex scrunches her nose up slightly. “A pizza?”

Maggie smiles, her dimples showing off even in the darkness. “You read my mind, Danvers.”

\------

Lillian sees them off the next morning, and Alex feels like she can finally breathe once they’re in a cab heading towards the airport. She can now go home, sleep in her own bed, and not have to continue with this stressful charade any longer. At least, until Wednesday when she has to be at Lillian’s lab with Maggie pretending to be a  _ scientist _ of all things.

One thing she has noticed, however, is that Maggie has been quiet all morning. All of Alex’s attempts at making conversation with her have failed, and she’s beginning to worry that she’s done something wrong. She comes to the conclusion that it must have something to do with what happened the night before, but she really thought they had sorted that out. Maybe that had just been wishful thinking on her part.

After a painfully silent flight back to New York, Alex finally decides to confront Maggie at the airport before they part ways. She finds the perfect opportunity when they’re standing around waiting for their bags. However, the outcome isn’t what she’s expecting.

“Listen, Maggie, you’ve barely said five words to be all day and I just…” Alex sighs. “Please don’t leave without telling me what’s wrong. If I’ve done something, then I want to know what it is.”

Maggie doesn’t look at her when she speaks. “It’s not you. It’s nothing, I’m just… thinking about the last couple of days.”

“And?”

Maggie sighs. “And, honestly? I just think that this whole thing went really badly.”

Alex suddenly feels like she has whiplash. Only last night Maggie was telling her that it was the most fun she’d had on the job in a long time, and that Alex had been the perfect partner. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m saying that… we really shouldn’t have crossed the line back in Boston.” Alex notices that Maggie’s words aren’t matching up with what her facial expressions are giving away. She looks  _ sad _ , and almost as if she absolutely doesn’t want to be saying the things she’s saying. It doesn’t make any sense to Alex.

“I don’t understand… What changed? Was it because I freaked out on you last night? I thought we talked about that. Or at least, we can talk about it now.” Alex frowns. She’s trying her best, but she really can’t understand what’s going on in Maggie’s mind.

“I told you when we first started this that I wasn’t going to make a move on you. That you were safe with me and that this would be strictly professional. I crossed that line with you, long before last night.” Maggie shakes her head, clearly frustrated with herself. “I took advantage of you, I broke your trust, and I hate it. I don’t want to be that person.”

“Maggie…” Alex face falls, because clearly, Maggie has seen this situation in an entirely different light than Alex has. Even after last night, Alex thought they may be able to work through it, even if it’s at a slow pace.

“I know you don’t think it’s my fault, but maybe you’re still not seeing things clearly. And that’s not your fault either. But I have to end this before it goes too far. If I hurt you, Alex, this is going to destroy the both of us.”

“You know I wanted this just as much as you did.” Alex says. “Don’t my feelings matter? My opinions?”

“Of course they do. But… this is just something I have to do. There’s nothing else I can tell you, Alex. That’s just it.”

Alex crosses her arms over her chest. “You’re really using the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ line on me right now?”

“I’m sorry.” Maggie looks down and away from Alex, clearly not having a proper response to her question. “Look, I’ll just… I’ll see you on Wednesday, okay?”

Alex reaches out, taking a hold of Maggie’s hand. “Maggie, don’t go.” She gives her hand a squeeze, because she knows no matter what she says in this moment, Maggie is still going to leave her and it’s the last time she’ll feel the warmth she had grown so accustomed to.

“It’s better this way, Alex.” Maggie nods, and Alex finally sees the acceptance in her eyes. “One day, you’ll realise that. You’re going to meet someone amazing, I promise, and all of this will be just a memory.”

Alex wants to argue that she’s already  _ met _ someone amazing, and she’s standing right in front of her, but she can’t continue to fight with Maggie. If she doesn’t want her, then she doesn’t want her. There’s nothing she can do about that.

Alex sighs, trying her best to keep her emotions in check while Maggie is still standing there. “Okay, I’ll… I’ll see you on Wednesday, I guess.”

Maggie nods, her hand slipping out of Alex’s. “Bye, Danvers.” She doesn’t look at her again as she turns around and heads towards the airport doors.

\------

Alex arrives at Kara’s apartment later that night with a large bottle of whiskey. Kara doesn’t normally drink it at all, but that just means more for her. Plus, the things she wants to talk about will be  _ a lot _ easier with alcohol in her system.

Kara seems to be excited that she’s back in town, even though she was only gone for one weekend. One long, very stressful weekend that she probably still can’t talk about because of the job at hand, but she needs to talk to  _ someone _ , or her head is going to explode.

“Alex!” Kara greets her as soon as she opens the door, and Alex is swallowed up in a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Alex is grateful for her sister. She really is. Most of the time, she’s the only person who can make Alex smile. She’s sure if she was living in this city without her, she wouldn’t last as long as she has.

Clearly noting the bottle Alex is carrying, Kara frowns. “Uh oh. It went that well, did it? Lillian didn’t figure it out, did she?”

Alex sighs heavily, dropping her bag on the table and placing the bottle on the kitchen counter. “No. Thankfully, Lillian was the least of my problems.” She realises that Kara still doesn’t know that she and Maggie had to pretend to be girlfriends, and now she’s going to dump everything on her all at once.

“Well, that’s good.” Kara then points towards the bottle. “Also, you’re not drinking that if you haven’t eaten.”

“Fine. We can order Chinese or something.” Alex says flippantly, moving to drop down on the couch.

Kara pulls the menu out of the drawer and ponders it for a moment, even though she and Alex both know exactly what she’s going to order. After a minute or two on the phone, she finishes the call and goes to sit next to Alex on the couch. She tucks her feet underneath her body and grabs a cushion to hold.

“So, any reason you wanted to hang out tonight…?” Kara asks as she looks at Alex.” You sounded pretty tired on the phone.”

“I am tired, I just… I have to talk to you about… some things. I don’t think it can wait.”

“What things?”

“Well…” Alex sighs, deciding to just dive right in. She seems to be doing a lot of that lately. “You don’t know the whole story about the case. I was partnered up with Maggie but… we had to pretend to be a couple for us to both get an invite to Boston, and things got a bit… well, out of hand. To say the least.”

Even out of the corner of her eye, Alex can see Kara’s eyebrows shoot up. “Wait, so… you two pretended to be  _ girlfriends _ in Boston?” She looks concerned, and Alex thinks her worry is probably valid. “And… it ended badly?”

Alex is quiet for a moment. She had been hoping to be halfway done with the whiskey when she started talking about this with Kara, but now she’s stone cold sober, and it’s not going the way she wants it to. She doesn’t look at Kara as she speaks. “Let’s just say it became… a little  _ more _ than fake.”

Kara furrows her eyebrows. She’s quiet for a long moment before she speaks. “You mean…”

“Yeah. Things started to happen when we weren’t in front of Lillian and I just… I don’t know  _ how _ or  _ why _ , but I’ve never felt that way before and now I just…” Alex runs a hand through her hair.

Kara doesn’t speak for a long moment, and Alex doesn’t know if she’s upset or processing or  _ what _ . When she does speak, however, her tone is soft. “So, you have real feelings for her? For Maggie?”

Alex feels tears blurring her vision slightly. She really doesn’t want to cry, but if she’s going to cry about this to anyone, it might as well be her sister. “I don’t know what to do. A lot of things didn’t even make sense in my life until she kissed me and I just… that was it. Like I said, I’ve never felt this way.  _ Especially _ not with men.” She feels Kara’s hand on her back, but Alex doesn’t look at her. She can’t. “And Maggie doesn’t even want me. I mean, it  _ seemed _ like she did, but then she did a complete one-eighty and changed her mind because she thinks she’s no good for me, or something.”

Kara frowns. “That doesn’t mean she doesn’t want you, Alex. Just because she has her own issues to sort through, it doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel the same way about you.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway. It’s over. It was stupid.”

Kara reaches forward, attempting to catch some of Alex’s tears with her thumb. “It does matter, Alex. And you don’t have to be scared of this. What you feel. At least, not with me. Who you love doesn’t matter to me, okay? I’m glad you told me, because I don’t want you thinking you can’t talk to me about these things.”

“I can’t believe this.” Alex leans forward, putting her head in her hands. “I go away for one weekend and come back like… this.”

“Being gay isn’t a medical condition, Alex.” Kara smiles slightly. “You’re discovering yourself as a person. Of course it’s going to take a while for you to adjust to that.”

Alex sighs heavily, lifting her head up so she can look at Kara. “Can I have the whiskey now?”

Kara laughs. “Okay, fine. Not too much though, the food should be here soon.” As Alex gets off the couch to get the bottle, Kara watches her fondly. “Thank you for telling me.”

Alex smiles, wiping her tears away as she sits back down on the couch. “Honestly, I was expecting a bigger reaction. I’m glad I was wrong.”

Kara shrugs. “Alex, you’re my sister. You’re safe, you’re not in any trouble, and accepting who you are means you’re one step closer to happiness. Does anything else really matter?”

Alex looks at Kara. She’s used to being the strong one for her younger sister, not the other way around. She’s never known how to be vulnerable, but now she’s been vulnerable in front of both her sister and Maggie all in one weekend. It’s almost unnerving. 

Alex sighs once more, moving to lean her head on her sister’s shoulder, hugging the bottle in her lap. “Thank you, Kara.”

\------

When Alex and Maggie see each other on Wednesday, it isn’t awkward.

Actually, it’s gone one step beyond awkward, and Maggie doesn’t acknowledge Alex as anything more than a coworker. Which would be a relatively normal reaction if they didn’t have to  _ act _ like they were together. Thankfully, they’re entering a professional workplace, so they would have had to tone it down regardless. 

Each time Maggie addresses her as ‘Agent Danvers’ and not by her first name, Alex is pretty sure a piece of her shrivels up and dies. Which is depressing to her, really, because she never thought she’d be the woman who remains hung up on someone. However, she’d like to think this is a special circumstance. 

Lillian’s lab is in an inconspicuous part of the city, as the FBI had predicted. They never would’ve found it on their own, so Alex is glad all the stress she went through over the weekend was worth it. They’re closer than they have ever been to capturing Lillian, and it’s more critical than ever that they’re careful. Not only is she capable of slipping away, but she’s also dangerous. Everyone knows what she’s capable of, and Alex and Maggie are walking straight into the line of fire.

Lillian greets them in her usual manner, and proceeds to give them a tour of the lab. It’s quite impressive, Alex will give her that, and there are many more employees than she thought. It makes her wonder just how many lies Lillian has told in order to get this many people to join her cause. Whatever that may be.

The only time Maggie really acts like a girlfriend is when Lillian shows the two of them where her office is. Alex feels Maggie’s hand on her back, and she’s brought all the way back to Boston again. However, she’s sure that Maggie’s touch is supposed to be a message telling her to remember this location because this is where they’ll need to start looking.

The moment when Lillian’s attention is drawn elsewhere and they’re left alone in a conference room is when they slip away. Alex knows they’ll only have a few minutes to gather whatever information they can before somebody notices that they’re gone. She knows this is where her training as an FBI agent will truly be put to the test. It will also test any sort of teamwork she and Maggie have built up over the last few days, even if she’s not so sure how effective that will be now.

Even when they’re alone, Maggie doesn’t really speak to her apart from a few one-word phrases. Since they have an important task at hand, Alex can’t really blame her. She knows now isn’t really the best time to be bringing up their personal lives, even if she has been itching to talk about it ever since Maggie left her standing alone at the airport.

Lillian’s office is suspiciously clean, and almost untouched. Like nobody has even used it before. The only places where Alex can see her hiding anything is her computer and the drawers in her desk. She knows they won’t have time to attempt to access her computer, so the drawers are their best bet.

Maggie opens the top right drawer immediately to find a gun, and they both pause for a second to look at each other. Maggie picks it up, rolling her eyes when she sees it isn’t loaded. That would be far too convenient for them. However, Alex doesn’t want to know what Lillian’s doing with a gun in her office in the first place.

Alex opens up another drawer and discovers a folder. “Here.” Furrowing her eyebrows, she rifles through the papers, trying to retain as much information as she can in the limited time they have.

She feels Maggie hovering over her shoulder as she reads the title. “What the hell is Project Cadmus?”

“According to this, it’s some kind of super drug.” Alex frowns. “When administered, it enhances a person’s senses, physical and mental capabilities. But it’s not finished. Not enough testing has been done, so it sounds like it’s dangerous.”

“You’re telling me that Lillian Luthor is creating a drug so that she can turn any human into a superhuman? Is that even possible?”

“I mean… it sounds like many of the prototypes so far have failed, including the deaths of people that have been ruled as ‘lab accidents’.” Alex shakes her head. “This would take years of research and unlimited resources. How she’s slipped under the radar with this for so long is beyond me.”

Maggie scoffs. “Well, the woman’s smart. Even if she has completely lost her mind.”

“Well, I will take that as a compliment.”

Both of their heads snap up to discover Lillian flanked by two men standing in the doorway. Neither of them had even heard the door to the office open, and it was really a huge error on their part to not have someone watching the hallway. They had been too caught up in discovering the truth to do their jobs properly, and now it’s going to cost them.

“Silent alarms really are a wonderful thing.” Lillian looks between the two of them. “I assume the both of you are actually police officers? I’m disappointed. I thought they would send people after me who were better trained.”

They have no weapons. They’re outnumbered and defenceless. Lillian has them right where she wants them and there’s nothing they can do about it. 

“Our superiors know exactly where we are,” Alex warns Lillian, taking a step towards her. “If you don’t let us go, they will come for us.”

Lillian chuckles. “I would like to see them try. You see, everyone you passed on the way here is currently on my drug. With their enhanced capabilities, I would be very amused to watch a few police officers try to take them out. And if all else fails, I have many places to hide. This is not my only facility. By the time they got here, I would already be gone.”

It finally makes sense to Alex as to  _ why _ Lillian has so many employees. She didn’t have to convince anyone of her cause. All she had to do was lure them into her lab and get them to try what she would advertise as a brand new wonder drug. With more than one facility, she could have thousands of people at her disposal. 

Maggie speaks up. “So, in Boston, all those people in the ballroom… they were all on your drug?”

Lillian turns towards Maggie. “And to think you could’ve joined them willingly. It’s a shame, really.”

Alex furrows her eyebrows, trying to understand what she meant by ‘willingly’, but Lillian is speaking again before she can process her words.

Lillian turns towards one of the men standing next to her. “Take the taller one. She’s the only one we need. Grab the other, make sure she doesn’t get in our way.”

Maggie immediately steps in front of Alex. “You’re not taking her anywhere. Not without going through me.”

“Maggie, don’t,” Alex warns. If these people really had superior strength, then Maggie would be no match for them. Especially without anything to defend herself with. And the one time she doesn’t want Maggie to protect her is the one time her heart flutters when she does.

As soon as the man’s hands wrap around her arms, Alex can feel just how strong he is. She could probably break her arm just by squeezing too tightly. They wouldn’t be able to fight their way out of there even if there was only one of them. It frustrates her to no end that they can’t fight back, but the best thing to do in this situation is to just let go of control until they can figure something out.

However, Maggie struggles against the man who has grabbed her and decides to threaten Lillian. “Don’t hurt her. You hurt her, and you won’t like where this ends. Jail will be the last thing you’ll have to worry about.”

Lillian laughs. “You are so very naive. Why on earth would we hurt our new best asset? You two may have been lying about your identities, but our friend here wasn’t lying when she was discussing her aptitude for bioengineering. She has knowledge that we will find very useful here.”

“If you think I’m working for you, then you’re out of your mind,” Alex spits, struggling against the man holding her.

“Oh, you won’t have a choice. See, my drug tends to make people… well, let’s just say more _ compliant _ . How do you think I have so many  _ loyal _ employees?”

Alex swallows. She really doesn’t like the sound of this. If this drug takes away her ability to be autonomous, then Maggie really will be on her own. They really didn’t work better when they were apart. 

Lillian ignores her reaction and continues to speak. “You see, Project Cadmus is still being developed. We’re working out the kinks and such. Most of the people you see around me are my test subjects. My employees work for me, but they’re also tested upon regularly. You need a regular dose of the drug in order for its effects to continue working. Those who try to leave experience the withdrawal symptoms, which means they usually come crawling back for more anyway. It’s a vicious cycle, really, but that just means repeat customers and more employees for me.”

Alex looks at her, almost in disbelief. She is more of a monster than either of them ever thought. “And what exactly is your plan for all of this? Why make this drug? Why do you need all these people?”

Lillian grins wickedly. “We’ll see how valuable you are to us before you receive  _ that _ privileged information.”

Maggie glares at her. “Oh, I can’t wait to take you down for this, Luthor.”

Lillian only chuckles at her. “The day an officer with the NYPD takes me down will be the day pigs fly.” She turns towards the guard who has a hold of Maggie. “We’ve wasted enough time here. Throw her out on the street. Also, prepare to evacuate the premises. My friend and I have important work to get to and we don’t want this one coming back here and ruining it.”

Alex doesn’t really focus on her words, but is more interested in what they’re doing to Maggie. Maggie only struggles more as Alex gets dragged out of the office, but Alex can see the man’s grip tightening on her arm. 

“Alex, we’ll come back for you.” Maggie’s voice is panicked as she tries to get the words out befoe they’re separated. “I’ll get Hank and we’ll come back for you. I promise.”

The last thing Alex sees as she’s being pulled towards the elevator is Maggie being pulled in the opposite direction before she disappears from sight completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, catch me on [Tumblr](http://alexmaggie.tumblr.com).


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this final chapter ended up being a lot more violent than I originally intended. I put an archive warning up but specifically there’s violence and torture elements, as well as mentions of blood. I don’t go into too much detail or anything, but I’m just letting you know it’s there! Happy endings though, always. ;)

The next thing Maggie knows is that she’s being tossed out onto the street. She knows she’d just be wasting time trying to find a way back in. She needs backup, and the only way she’s going to get it is by going directly to Alex’s boss.

Once she does eventually make it back to Alex’s boss, everything moves as a blur. Hank is ordering a strike team to search the facility, even though Maggie made it clear that Lillian was planning to evacuate it. The more time they spend there, the more time Lillian has to completely brainwash Alex.

However, she can’t disobey orders from her superiors — especially when she’s lucky to even be allowed in on Alex’s disappearance in the first place. Normally, the FBI would take over and keep NYPD in the dark, but this is her opportunity to help. She’s a good detective, and she knows that. She has invaluable skills, and she knows Lillian on a more personal level. At least, she thinks she does.

Maggie goes with them as they raid the lab, but, as expected, they find it to be empty. It’s almost impressive how quickly Lillian managed to pack up and go. Not only that, but there isn’t a single piece of evidence to indicate where they were going next. The more time that passes, the more anxious Maggie gets. She promised Alex that she’d come back for her, and she has yet to deliver on that.

Once they’re back to headquarters to try and think of a plan, it isn’t long before Maggie remembers what Alex had said on the plane.

A tracking device.

Alex can always be found as long as she has her GPS device still on her.

Although there may be a good chance that Lillian has discovered it and destroyed it, it’s a better lead than they had five minutes prior. It takes the tech guys a few minutes to lock onto it, but it’s unmistakeable when they find it. Her signal is halfway across the city, in an industrial zone that’s usually abandoned.

Maggie feels like she’s pulsing with adrenaline once again. This time, Lillian has no idea that they’re coming, and although her drugged drones may prove to be a problem, she’s going to get Alex out of there even if it kills her.

Maggie is able to join up with the squad tasked with retrieving Alex. They have no idea what state she’ll be in, which makes Maggie nervous. She’d much rather it be her in that position instead of Alex. After everything that’s happened over the past few days, she feels like she deserves it for being such a coward. The best she can do now is get Alex back, hopefully before Lillian can do anything to her.

Once they’re inside, it doesn’t take long for the team to become split up. There’s a lot more of Lillian’s people than they originally realised, and it causes them to have to take various unorthodox routes. Maggie tries to move quickly, because there’s no doubt that their presence has already alerted Lillian. Thankfully, since she has no idea they’re coming, security is light on the way in.

Maggie finds she’s alone rather quickly, but she’s small and light on her feet, which she’s able to use to her advantage.

She goes door by door, and trying to avoid detection is a lot harder than she thought. Not only are there cameras everywhere, but there seems to be patrols moving up and down the corridors. More of Lillian’s enhanced employees that she wouldn’t be able to take on even if she wanted to. It takes a lot longer than she would like, but she finally discovers a rhythm of weaving in between the hallways without being spotted.

It takes a lot of searching, but when she eventually opens a door to find Alex in a lab coat on the other side, she breathes an audible sigh of relief. The feeling rushes through her entire body, and she’s never been so happy to see someone before in her whole life.

“Alex! Thank God.” Maggie looks around the room, noting that nobody else seems to be there. That should’ve been her first warning that there was trouble. The second should’ve been the fact that Alex doesn’t look like a prisoner whatsoever. “Come on, let’s get you out of here. Henshaw’s here looking for you too.”

“Maggie?” Alex’s face remains stoic. “I can’t.”

At first, Maggie thinks she’s joking. “Alex, come on…” Stepping forward, she tries to get a better look at her. “I’m here. I can get you out of here. I promised I’d come find you, remember?”

“I do remember.” Alex nods, but Maggie can see that she seems robotic in her movements. “But now I know I have to stay here. Dr. Luthor’s work is important and she needs me.”

“ _She_ needs you?” Maggie asks with a scoff. “Alex, come on. She’s not the one who needs you. Deep down, you know that.” Her face falls for a brief moment when she realises that this might not work out the way she planned it to. “Please… This may be my only chance to bring you home.”

Alex shakes her head. “This is much more important. I’ve finally found a place worthy of my expertise.”

Maggie realises immediately that she’s taken the drug. The Alex that she knows would never be speaking like this. Would never support a criminal who wants to brainwash the entire population. She wishes she could just grab Alex by the arm and drag her out, but there are too many problems with that approach. Lillian’s drug would have made her three times stronger than she normally is, and with the amount of people they passed on the way in, it’s only a matter of time before Lillian finds them.

And she does.

Maggie pulls her gun on Lillian as soon as she enters the room, but without hesitating for a second, Alex steps in front of Lillian to block Maggie’s shot.

“Alex…” Maggie warns her through gritted teeth. “What the hell are you doing? Move out of the way.” When Alex doesn’t answer, Maggie looks towards Lillian, jabbing the gun towards her with emphasis. “What did you do to her?!”

“Like I told you back at my other lab, my drug tends to make my subjects much more compliant. She will only do what I tell her to. She will only protect me. So if you wish to shoot _her_ , you may go right ahead, but she won’t be moving.”

Maggie lowers her gun immediately, and she feels her heart rise into her throat. She knows she’s been trained to be calm in these situations, but this is _Alex_. Someone she’s come to care for deeply over the past week. She can’t just walk away and leave her like this. She’s been drugged and held here against her will. But at the same time, what can she do? She’s outnumbered and outgunned. Lillian has every single advantage over her.

Maggie takes a step forward, attempting to get closer to Alex. Maybe if she can do that, she can find a way to get through to her. If she can just look her in the eyes for a few seconds…

“Alex… please.” Maggie’s voice is soft. She even tries to smile, because maybe seeing a friendly, familiar face will help her snap out of it. “I’m right here. I know you know it’s me. You’re stronger than this, Alex. You’re stronger than _her_.”

Lillian’s giving her an amused look. “You’re foolish, detective. There’s no way to break her out of this. Not even some encouraging words about how much _stronger_ she is.” Lillian tilts her head towards her, and Maggie whips around to see what she’s indicating at.

Before Maggie knows it, she’s being grabbed by two of Lillian’s guards and dragged backwards out of the room. She knows there’s no point trying to fight it like last time. Seeing Alex the way she is, she’s not sure she has much fight left in her anyway. All she can do is take note of the various hallways they turn down, just so that she may have a fighting chance if by some miracle she can escape.

Maggie is eventually dragged into a cold, dark room, and the only thing she feels is a slight sting on her arm before everything goes black.

\------

When she finally wakes, her eyesight is completely blurry. She’s still in the same cold, dark room as before, so it’s hard for her to make out much of anything anyway. However, she does feel something warm and wet on her arms. She suspects it’s blood, but her head is pounding so much that she can’t really tell what kind of pain she’s in.

She sees a figure moving around in the shadows. She can’t make out who it is, but their laughter causes ringing in Maggie’s ears. Someone has drugged her before dragging her in here, and now she can’t even tell her left from her right. She’s so dizzy, but she doesn’t want to pass out again in case she misses something important.

It takes a moment for her to realise that she’s not sitting down. Her arms are being held back by something, likely some form of rope or chain. She’s trembling, and she thinks it has something to do with just how cold it is in the room. Has she been tied up to be tortured? That would explain the blood. What she doesn’t understand is why Lillian hasn’t just given her the drug to make her compliant and gotten on with her work. It’s not like Lillian to keep her as a prisoner. At least, not in this sense, anyway. What’s so special about her that they have to keep her like this?

Maggie’s beginning to feel weak again, and she looks down and sees her clothes have patches of blood on them. The longer she stays where she is, the foggier her mind becomes. The figure who was previously standing in front of her has vanished, as she can now see a little clearer than before. She spots a metal table a few feet away, but she won’t be able to reach it with her feet.

Maggie hears a noise that sounds like a door closing, and she strains against her restraints. It’s a futile attempt, of course, because there’s absolutely no way she’s getting out of here any time soon.

She expects the person to be Lillian, or at least someone armed with some sort of deadly weapon. Instead, she hears a voice before she sees anyone.

“Maggie?”

The voice makes Maggie’s head snap upwards immediately. She’s heard it whisper, she’s heard it yell. She’d know it anywhere.

Maggie feels tears spring in her eyes immediately, and she doesn’t know if it’s sheer exhaustion or the fact that she’s just _so happy to see Alex_.

Alex takes a step closer to her, placing both hands on her cheeks. The touch is enough to transport her somewhere else entirely. She’s not in this room, she’s not tied up, she’s not bleeding. She’s with Alex, and that’s all that matters.

“You’re okay.” Alex murmurs, her thumb brushing along Maggie’s cheek. “I was so worried. It’s been hours, I didn’t know what they’d done to you.”

“Alex?” Maggie whispers, wishing she could reach out and touch her. Just to make sure that this is real. “Wh-What’s going on? I thought you were… I mean, they have you the drug.”

Alex shakes her head, the hint of a smile on her lips. “They _think_ they gave me the drug. I switched it out before they even knew what was happening. They have no idea that I’m not under their influence.”

Maggie lets out a breath of relief. She should’ve known better than to underestimate Alex Danvers. “So, back in the lab… you were faking it?”

Alex nods, and Maggie can see the pride in her eyes. Even _she’s_ proud of her. It was certainly an impressive display that even had Maggie fooled. To the point where she let herself be captured because there was no way she was leaving without her.

“You’re really good at that.”

Alex laughs lightly, and it’s music to Maggie’s ears. “I’m glad you’re okay, Maggie.”

Maggie smiles. “You, too. How did you even get out of there?”

“They may have locked me in the lab, but I have my ways.” Alex gives her a proud smile. “Getting you out of here is going to be tricky though.” She looks behind her. “Lillian will be back any minute.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Maggie tugs at one of her restraints, feeling that it won’t budge. “Am I still bleeding?”

Alex gives her a slight frown as she looks her over. She lifts her hand, her fingers trailing down the side of her face. “You’ve looked better, Sawyer, I’ll tell you that much.”

Maggie stops to look at her for a moment. She’s never seen so much adoration in Alex’s eyes before, and it’s all directed towards her. To think that this all could’ve ended with the two of them not speaking and Maggie never seeing her again. She doesn’t want to think about their conversation back at the airport, and how immature she sounded. In this moment, she doesn’t ever want to be apart from Alex again.

“Maggie… I have a plan to get us both out of here _and_ take Lillian down, but you really have to trust me for it to work.”

“I do trust you,” Maggie tells her without hesitation. And she truly does. There are certainly things that the two of them can work on, but trust isn’t one of them. Alex has her life in her hands right now, and Maggie wouldn’t want anyone else here. “You know I do.”

“Okay, so…” Alex lets out a heavy breath. “I’m going to take the drug.”

That’s not what Maggie had been expecting. “Wait, what?”

“If I take just one dose of the drug, it should make me strong enough to get you out but it won’t be enough for her to take control of me. At least, I hope.”

“Alex… she designed those drugs to be addictive. You could have withdrawals, or worse. You have no idea what effects that’s going to have on your mind and body.” Maggie shakes her head. “I can’t let you go through that to save me, and there’s no guarantee you can take down Lillian. It’s too risky.”

“The only way to do this is to take a risk.” Alex searches her eyes desperately. “You said you trusted me, so you have to let me do this. If I don’t do something soon, she’s going to torture you for real. There’s no other way, Maggie.”

It’s not like Maggie has much of a choice anyway. She’s shackled to the wall and if Alex takes that drug, she’ll be able to overpower her and anyone else in an instant. There’s no physical way to stop her, and she’s definitely already made her mind up. Not only that, but unless Alex gets a key of some kind, there’s no way she’s going to be able to break her out without the drug.

Alex places her hand on Maggie’s cheek again. “I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you’re safe.”

It’s a good thing Alex is close to her, because Maggie’s restraints don’t give her much leeway. She uses what little strength she has left to press her lips firmly to Alex’s. Instead of pulling away, Alex only moves closer, making it easier for Maggie to continue kissing her. It’s not like they have the time for this, but Maggie needs Alex to know just how much this means to her. How much _she_ means to her. Something she doesn’t have the ability to articulate right now.

Suddenly, their conversation at the airport doesn’t matter. Every doubt Maggie has ever had no longer exists.

“Okay. Okay.” Maggie breathes when Alex pulls away. Alex has made up her mind. “But I’m not leaving here without you.” If she gets hurt or captured, then so will Maggie.

“Deal.” Alex says, and the glint in her eye tells Maggie that she doesn’t plan on getting caught. “I have to make sure she doesn’t see me yet, so I have to leave.” Placing a hand on her cheek once again, it almost feels as if Maggie’s being touched for the last time. “Will you be okay for a few minutes?”

“As long as you don’t forget about me, Danvers.”

The slightest of smiles lifts Alex’s lips. “How could I?”

Maggie barely feels the kiss Alex gives her before she’s gone again. She knows she should be afraid, but at this point, she trusts Alex more than she trusts herself. If anyone’s capable of getting them both out of there, it’s her.

Maggie’s unable to keep track of how long it takes for someone to enter the room, but it’s not a surprise when it’s Lillian. She seems surprised that Maggie is still conscious, but Maggie knows she probably won’t be for much longer.

“Honestly, I’m impressed that you’ve held on this long.” Lillian taunts her, and Maggie would be pissed if she didn’t know she currently had the upper hand.

Maggie decides to play her game. See what information she can get out of Lillian while she’s here. “What do you even want me for? Why not give me the drug?”

Lillian scoffs. “Despite the fact that I only need the most brilliant minds and strongest bodies in my lab and you are… less than satisfactory?”

Again, Maggie doesn’t take it to heart. Not really. Plus, she’s a cop. She’s heard worse insults slung at her on a daily basis. “So, what? You’re going to hold me for ransom? You don’t think my people will come looking for me? And Alex’s?”

“The more who come, the better.” Lillian says with a careless shrug. “It’s not like any of them will be able to get past my guards. They’ll be lining up like lambs to the slaughter.”

“If you let me go, maybe we can work out a deal.” Maggie knows she won’t take the offer, but the detective within her has to try. Trying to go down all routes is something she knows how to do well. Except, she knows there’s no deal that any law enforcement will want to make with her.

Lillian only laughs, which is pretty much what Maggie had been expecting. At this point, she’s just buying time for Alex. It doesn’t really work for long, because Lillian is already stepping closer to her. Again, she tries a last-ditch attempt at freeing herself from her restraints, but it’s no use.

Lillian strikes her across the face, _hard_. Maggie’s ears are ringing and she tastes blood straight away. She hangs her head, because she suddenly doesn’t have the energy to stay completely upright. She can hear Lillian laughing again, and it frustrates her that she got herself into this position in the first place. She’s a cop, she should be better than this, she—

 _Smack_.

Another hit causes her to cough and splutter. Maggie’s not expecting her to be so strong, and she wonders if Lillian is somehow enhanced herself.

Maggie head is still low as she hears a loud crash in the room. She doesn’t have to look up to know it’s Alex, but when she does, it’s like she’s looking at a different person.

Physically, everything’s normal, but there’s a look in her eye that Maggie doesn’t recognise. The only thing that gives her a little bit of comfort is the fact that Lillian looks completely shocked. Maggie’s just glad they were able to outsmart her when it counted.

However, what she doesn’t count on is just how aggressive Alex is. She’s able to send Lillian across the room like it’s effortless. And then she’s hitting her, and Maggie knows this isn’t Alex. Alex is strong and capable and protective, but not like this. She’s absolutely capable of hurting people, but not this mindlessly. This isn’t the Alex Danvers that Maggie knows and trusts.

“Alex!” Maggie struggles even harder against the restraints, hoping that if she summons enough strength, she can rip them out of the wall if she has to. “Alex, stop!”

Alex continues to throw punches, and she growls in response. “She deserves to die!”

“Listen to me.” Maggie tries to keep her voice level. “Alex, please, listen.” She can’t let her do this. There’s no way she’s going to let her do this. “This is the drug doing this, Alex. Please.”

Maggie knows Lillian won’t last much longer, but Alex shows no signs of stopping. It’s like she has no concept of limits, and all Maggie knows is she has to stop her.

“Alex… listen to my voice, okay? You don’t need or deserve this blood on your hands.” It’s so hard when she can’t reach out and touch her. All she wants to do is make her feel safe. She knows she shouldn’t have let Alex take the drug to begin with. “Please? Do this for me, okay?”

Alex finally stops, breathing heavily as she looks down at her hands. They’re shaking, and even Maggie can see from where she is that her knuckles are bloodied and bruised.

Maggie finally feels hopeful once she finally stops. “Killing her won’t solve anything. For you or anyone else. Death is the easy way out for her. She deserves to go to prison.”

Alex nods, but it takes a while for her to verbally respond. “You’re right. It’s… it’s the drug.” She looks from her hands to Lillian, who’s now unconscious on the floor. “Oh, God…”

“Hey… Hey, come over here and help me, okay?” Maggie coaxes, trying to get her to focus on something else for a minute.

Alex wastes no time in going over to her. Using her now-superior strength, she is able to break the restraints easily, and Maggie all but falls into her arms. Her muscles are exhausted from being upright for so long, and she squeezes Alex’s body tight. Mostly because she’s happy to be in her arms again, but also to make sure she’s okay.

“You’re okay,” Maggie whispers, closing her eyes. “You’re just fine, Alex. I promise.”

It takes a moment for Maggie to realise she’s trembling in her arms. “I didn’t… I didn’t have control. I _still_ don’t. I could still be dangerous—”

Maggie pulls back from the hug, taking Alex’s face in her hands. “You had enough control to stop yourself. And we’re going to get you help. This feeling is temporary, I promise you.” She knows, because she definitely remembers Lillian talking about regular doses to keep the subjects under her control. Even if there wasn’t a cure, she’d fight until she found one.

“You’re right,” Alex murmurs, and she lets out a breath as she looks over Maggie’s features. “Thank you.”

Maggie knows she looks like a mess, but Alex looks at her like she’s the only person in the world. Maggie doesn’t _want_ anyone else to look at her. “You came back for me. I should be thanking you.”

“I’m always gonna come back for you, Maggie.” Alex shakes her head. “That’s never something you need to thank me for.”

\------

Lena finds Kara outside the hospital. She leaves her meeting halfway through when she gets the news of her mother’s arrest. When she hears that the name ‘Danvers’ is involved, she knows it’s not Kara, but she still makes her driver go over the speed limit to get there.

There’s something about Kara she can’t quite shake. She’s all Lena thinks about, and it’s honestly ridiculous. She’s sure her assistant is sick of hearing about her. She enjoys every phone call they have, or the emojis Kara uses when she texts. It’s just the little things that are all adding up. It’s something she tries not to think about, but when Kara needs her, she’s going to be there for her.

When Lena gets there, she can already see police and reporters, the latter of which predictably lock onto her when she’s spotted. She sees Kara getting swarmed, and she figures rescuing her is the least she can do. Placing a hand on the small of her back, Lena swiftly guides her away and into the hospital. Kara looks completely bewildered as she adjusts her glasses.

“I… Lena?” Kara looks flustered, and Lena tries not to notice how adorable it is. “What… What are you doing here?”

Lena’s face falls, because how can she face what her mother has done? How can she attempt to explain her family? “I came to see you. I heard about your sister and I wanted to see if she was okay.”

Kara nods, her expression solemn. “Yeah… Yeah, she’s okay. The doctors are, I guess, studying the drug she took?” She shakes her head. “They think she’ll be fine, though.”

“I promise I didn’t know anything, and if I did, I would’ve told you.” Lena knows now that there’s no point in defending her mother. Not when all she does is hurt people.

Kara’s eyebrows furrow. “No… No, I know you had nothing to do with this, Lena. Please don’t feel guilty.”

If Lena’s being honest, she was expecting Kara to throw some of the blame in her direction. She’s so used to being targeted for what her family has done, she just assumes it will be the same in this instance. Except, it isn’t. Kara is understanding and forgiving, and Lena’s not sure she’s ever met anyone like her before.

Kara gives her another gentle smile, and tilts her head as if she’s studying her. “You seem a little… on edge. Are you okay?”

 _Oh_ . She knows. Lena had been hoping to _not_ get into this tonight, but clearly she’s been far too obvious. “I was just, uh…” She chuckles, dropping her head. She’s nervous. Why is she so nervous? “I was just wondering if we could start over. Get a coffee, maybe…?”

Kara’s smile grows, and it’s enough to make a warmth spread throughout Lena’s body. “Yeah. Yeah, I’d like that.” Truthfully, her eyes are intoxicating to Lena. Sometimes it makes her miss half the things that come out of her mouth. “And thank you. For coming to check up on me. That was really sweet.”

“Oh, it was nothing.” Lena waves her hand dismissively. “It’s the least I can do for what my mother did to your sister.”

Kara sighs. “I’m sorry, too. You must know by now that the only reason I first came to you was to get information about my sister’s case.”

Lena shakes her head. There’s absolutely no way she could be mad at Kara for that. However, Lena is glad she didn’t have any information, because she wouldn’t want Kara to step into her mother’s firing line. “No. No, I’m glad you did. If you hadn’t have done that, I wouldn’t have met you, and...” She bites her lip, trying not to look at her with the adoration she currently feels. “I’m really glad I met you.”

It may be wishful thinking, but Lena swears she can see a blush creep onto Kara’s cheeks. Again, something else she finds completely irresistible. “I’m glad I met you too, Lena.” She pauses for a moment before stepping forward and pressing a kiss to Lena’s cheek.

Kara’s lips are so soft that Lena isn’t even sure it happened. She tries not to look too stunned when Kara pulls away, but Lena knows she’s failing as soon as she sees the smile on her face.

“Text me, okay?” Kara gives her arm a gentle squeeze before moving past her, leaving Lena completely breathless in her wake.

\------

As soon as Maggie’s cleared to leave the hospital, she goes looking for Alex.

Alex had collapsed by the time Maggie had brought her in, and she’d been admitted soon after. Technically Maggie’s supposed to be ‘going home to rest’ after the hits she sustained and the amount of blood she lost, but it could’ve been a lot worse for her. All she really needed was a quick assessment and a few stitches here and there before she was sent on her way.

Her whole body aches, and she knows her face is swollen and bruised, but it doesn’t matter. She has tunnel vision when it comes to making sure Alex is okay.

Maggie meets Alex’s sister in passing, but Kara doesn’t have a lot to say to her. She seems out of it, and Maggie figures that she should meet her properly when she doesn’t look like she’s been in a bloody fist fight. Kara is the one to tell her that Alex is fine, and Maggie feels the weight of the world leave her body.

When she gets to Alex’s room, she sees that Alex is sitting up in her bed, looking much more like herself than she had been back at Lillian’s lab. The smile on her face when Maggie enters the room is unmatched, and Maggie has never been more happy to see her. And that _includes_ when she appeared to save her ass back at the lab.

As soon as she sits down on the edge of the bed, Maggie tucks some stray hair behind Alex’s ear. “Thank God you’re okay.” She studies Alex’s face with a fond smile.

“Should you really be out of bed?” Alex asks, and Maggie notes how tired she sounds. She can see Alex studying every visible injury she has, but really, it looks worse than it is.

Maggie shakes her head. “Don’t worry about me. They’re letting me go home.” Sure, she’s aching all over and could probably sleep for a week, but she knew she wouldn’t be able to leave without seeing Alex. “How are you feeling?” Her thumb brushes along her cheek, trying to gain the answer just by looking in her eyes.

“I’m okay,” Alex tells her with a soft smile. “I didn’t take enough of the drug for it to give me withdrawals. Most of it is out of my system now. They’re just keeping me here to be safe.”

Maggie frowns. “Do you remember any of it?” She almost hopes the answer is no. She doesn’t want Alex to keep thinking about the person she was back there. How she was completely wild and unrestrained.

Alex’s smile drops slightly. “Yeah. But it’s okay.” She reaches over, taking Maggie’s hand in hers. “I had you. It would’ve been a lot worse if you weren’t there.” She pauses for a moment. “What happened to Lillian?”

“She’s in FBI custody. She was still…” A mess, really. However, it’s not something Maggie wants Alex to dwell on. “She was unconscious when I last saw her, but they think she’s going to be fine.”

Alex nods slowly, her expression remaining grave. There’s a war going on inside of her that Maggie wishes she could stop on her own. "If it makes you feel any better, they also picked up a Maxwell Lord."

The slightest of smiles lifts Alex's lips. "That does, thank you."

Maggie's face falls again. “I knew this case was going to be dangerous, but I had no idea…” She shakes her head. To think she could’ve died and Alex could’ve been stuck forever as Lillian’s slave is something she never wants to think about again. She never wants to think about failing Alex the way she almost did. “I’m sorry you had to go through this. All of it.” At this point, she’s not just talking about the drug. The things that happened in Boston didn’t exactly make her innocent. She tends to feel guilty about a lot of things, but the stakes were only higher with Alex’s life in her hands.

“Maggie…” Alex shakes her head, squeezing Maggie’s hand. “I would do it all again. With you, I would.”

At first, Maggie doesn’t understand why. She made her ride a rollercoaster before dumping her at the end. If Maggie wants to take the argument even further, _she’s_ the reason this happened to begin with. _She_ insisted that they pretend to be together. Maybe if she’d kept her mouth shut, things would be different. Maybe if Alex didn’t have her as a partner, she could’ve been paired with someone more capable. Someone who could’ve prevented this.

“Maggie,” Alex tries again, and Maggie can see she’s trying to read her face. “I mean it.”

Maggie suddenly feels vulnerable, and she shifts slightly where she sits. “I was stupid. At the airport.” She’d thought about it every single moment since she left Alex standing there, but this is the first time she’s said it out loud. “It was… It was all real with you. We both know it was, and I was so scared to admit it. I didn’t even stop to think how scary it must’ve been for you, having never been with a woman.” She feels herself getting emotional, but she doesn’t fight it. “I’m so sorry, Alex.”

The first thing Alex does is smile, which isn’t quite the reaction Maggie is expecting. Then, she closes the gap between them, kissing Maggie firmly. Her hand slides into Maggie’s hair, and all Maggie can do is let out a sigh into her mouth. There’s something about kissing Alex that renders her helpless. She realised that the very first time she kissed her, and she only wishes she listened to herself then.

When Alex pulls away, she keeps her forehead leaning against Maggie’s. For someone who’s a badass FBI agent, Alex is definitely tender with her touch. Every time Alex touches her, Maggie feels like she doesn’t deserve it. Truthfully, she feels like she doesn’t deserve _any_ of this. It feels surreal to have Alex in her arms and know this isn’t an act they’re putting on for a case. This is real.

“You know I feel the same way.” Alex murmurs. “And you’re right, I don’t know what this means… you being a woman and everything, but it’s _you_ , Maggie. Why would I miss out on that opportunity? You’re special, and I… want to try this. If you want to.”

Maggie gives her a dimpled grin. After everything they’ve been through, Maggie can’t see herself going back to flirting with a new girl every couple of weeks only to have them move on when they’re not interested. The connection she’s made with Alex isn’t something she wants to give up, despite any fears she may have.

“Yeah, I want to. Of course I do.” Maggie already feels fortunate to have met her. To have known Alex in the capacity that she does. She has a feeling that not many people get to see this side of Alex Danvers often. “We’ll go as slow as you want. Get to know each other properly.”

“Okay,” Alex’s voice is quiet, _shy_ , and she looks at Maggie with a soft gaze. Maggie can tell she’s nervous just by looking at her, but she doesn’t comment on it. It’s just nice to have someone excited at the idea of being with her. Someone who’s willing to work on _them_.

Maggie places her hand on top of Alex’s, giving her a warm smile. It’s definitely not the outcome she was expecting from an undercover mission with a stranger, but now she knows it’s the best thing that could’ve happened to her.

\------

It’s a couple of weeks later when Alex invites Maggie over to Kara’s for game night. Lena’s there too, which Alex knows makes Maggie uncomfortable. Her mother _did_ almost torture her, after all. Not only that, but she’s only met Kara a couple of times as well. Alex knows that Kara is still checking Maggie out to see if she’s good enough for her, despite the amount of gushing Alex seems to do on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, Alex is still checking out Lena, because even if her sister will admit it or not, she knows something’s going on between them. Lena looks at Kara like she’s the reason she’s living and breathing, and it’s certainly not platonic.

Maggie brings a bottle of scotch to game night, which isn’t all too surprising. Alex just hopes Kara doesn’t take it the wrong way.

She won’t lie, she’s a little worried that the night might end badly. Nobody really knows each other, and they’re all from completely different worlds. Still, Alex feels her entire body relax when she opens the front door to find Maggie on the other side.

Alex wraps her up in a tight hug, despite the fact that she knows Kara and Lena are probably watching from the couch. She finds that she holds her just a little bit tighter and kisses her just a little bit longer ever since being released from the hospital. They’ve been through more than anyone in a new relationship should have to go through, but Alex knows they’re stronger because of it.

The scars on Maggie’s body haven’t quite faded, but the smile on her face outshines them all.

And actually? The night doesn’t turn out so bad.

Kara and Lena are laughing at something that only they find funny. _Maybe_ she and Maggie have had a little too much to drink. Still, she knows that the warmth she feels from Maggie’s hand resting casually on her thigh has nothing to do with alcohol. Whenever Maggie turns towards her, looking at her with bright eyes, Alex has to mentally pinch herself.

Alex has spent many moments since meeting Maggie pinching herself.

When Maggie excuses herself, Alex follows her. She’ll admit she’s a bit over eager when it comes to getting any time alone with her. Maggie stops at the kitchen counter, just out of earshot, and turns around.

“Hey…” Maggie starts, a curious look on her face. “Are you happy?”

“What?” Alex chuckles. Absolutely. Undeniably. “Of course. Why?”

“Just checking.” Maggie smiles, reaching up to rub Alex’s arm.

Alex’s eyebrows furrow. “Are you asking because you’re _not_ happy, or…”

Maggie grins, her arms snaking around Alex’s waist. Bringing her close, she kisses her gently, and Alex allows the feeling to fill her chest before she pulls away.

“I’m very happy.” Maggie tilts her head. “I didn’t think I could be, but I am.”

Another smile breaks out on Alex’s face as she tucks hair behind Maggie’s ear. “Neither did I.”

Maggie’s smile turns into more of a smirk. “To think you didn’t like me when we first met.”

Alex rolls her eyes. “Fine. Maybe you’re right.” She can’t lie to Maggie about that, even if she had misjudged her.

“And now what do you think…?”

Alex lets out a breath. “I think… you’re the best thing I’ve ever had.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

And for the first time, there’s no sign of fear in either of their eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this in its entirety! Sorry it took so long to get this final chapter out - you might have to reread if it's been a while lmao. I do have another multi-chapter Sanvers fic idea I want to work on, but I might take a break from it for a while. We'll see what happens! Thanks again for reading :)


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